Legend of Zelda: The Island Stones
by freefallingfast
Summary: Zelda. How do you feel about another adventure?” Link and Zelda chase Ganondorf across the high seas, in search of a dear friend he kidnapped. Sequel to Legend of Zelda: To the Secret Realm. Chap. 35 is up!
1. And so We Embark

Every leader, whether it be in a government or another position, is subject to the shelter of a glass palace. Years and years are spent in the construction of these said palaces, during which quaint little details and grand displays are built, pane by pane, in order to create the most wondrous of palaces that would outweigh those of every other competitor who would dare challenge said leader's rule. It is these palaces that cause us to make initial impressions of those vying to be rulers, and it is based on these palaces that the public determines whether or not these rulers have the right to govern. And so it is that they install themselves in their glass abodes, biding the days away, making decisions and establishing goals from their glass thrones. From that point, we all follow.

That is, until one tiny crack appears in the palace walls and soon, public opinion takes on a completely new face. When one considers it, it really is fascinating to see what one tiny little blemish can do to the palace. From that one tiny crack in the wall, a ripple of splits will follow until the entire wall is taken by a spider web of a structure that continues to spread. As soon as that one spider web forms, it really is only a matter of time before the web engulfs the entire structure. One miserable day, the palace collapses, leaving a disgraced former ruler in the middle of all those shards that are digging into their skin, drawing blood that touches each piece of glass as the leader walks off into the distance, most of the time never to be heard from again.

Yet the above only speaks for those who remain in power with a large amount of legitimacy as seen by the people the ruler governs. Many a time, the proletariat are not in concordance and soon, stones are hurled, fires are lit, and without even a moment's consideration the commoners attack. Every pane in sight is completely destroyed, obliterated as pieces of glass rain from the upper levels. Corrupt rulers finish this way, and they watch every second during which their palaces are shattered, their safe haven extinguished. But there comes a time when every bit of corruption and deceit will look up to the skies and, in agony, shriek and scream for a saviour, cry "Save me!" over and over in a repeated fashion. And from up above, someone will look down, straight into their eyes, and reply either with a "I forgive you", or "No".

No.

An answer the two heroes of our story are keen on delivering, as we join them in their crusade to destroy one certain glass palace, to shatter it to smithereens.

* * *

"Heave ho!"

The Port of Termina was alive, but this day was quite different from any other sojourn at the harbour. Hyrulians had completely taken over the Port, hauling their few belongings with them, loading them onto a fleet of ships bound for the unknown. Crates of clothing, food, and barrels of water followed each other one by one into the bellies of ships. Beyond the giant wooden monsters, the blue sea extended far into the distance, glowing sapphire as the sun beat down upon the surface of the water. Occasionally, one curious fish leaped out of the sea, peeking at its surroundings, before deciding to sink back into the deep.

Not so distant away from the busy scene stood a two story inn, painted yellow to match the joyous atmosphere of the Port, and dotted with balconies that lined its walls. Clearly, the structure had been situated there for many a generation, as cracks now began to line the surface of a few particular places upon the inn. Upon entering, a small eating space was filled to the brim with Hyrulian soldiers, singing military songs and reciting rhymes while drinking from pints of ale. Young Terminian women coursed to and fro between the tables, serving the soldiers to the best of their ability, moving as fast as they possibly could. There was no time to be wasted, as the guests needed to be served.

At the rear of the eating hall was a flight of stairs that led to the upper level of the inn, revealing a long corridor with doors lined left and right, doorways of red that contrasted quite delicately with the yellow of the walls. Placing a hand on the handle of one particular door, any visitor would feel the gentle coolness of the brass that rotated with the slightest of touches, giving way to the most humble and modest of chambers that boasted the most proper of beds and the most scenic of decor. Well-sown tapestries lined the areas above the beds and tables, the latter of which were sculpted of the most malleable of wood. Next to the table was a doorway leading out into the morning sunshine, and a location to gaze over the entire Port upon a balcony.

It is upon this particular balcony where the Hero and Princess of Hyrule can both be found, taking in the bustling scene unfolding before them. Gallantly dressed, Link pulled at the maroon vest that Zelda had managed to obtain for him and adjusted the loose cuffs of his shirt. Link had decided to beget his green hat and tunic, which he would surely need for the journey to the seven Island Nations, leaving his golden hair to glow with an energy of its own in the sunlit atmosphere of the Port of Termina. At his side, Zelda had decked herself in a gown of silk that was the colour of a pink rose, and her hair was done up in an elegant updo that was so popular among Hylian women nowadays, leaving no strand of her hair the opportunity to brush her milk-white shoulders. Both were situated in the center of the balcony, biding their time away before someone would come to announce that they would be departing.

"How long, do you think?" inquired Zelda, her eyes absorbing every sight and her ears every sound.

"At this rate, about five more hours until we finally embark," replied Link. The Hero hadn't felt this peaceful since they left Hyrule almost a month ago. The journey to Termina had most definitely taken much longer than he had intended, and more than once Link's nerves had attacked him. At this instant, the Hero tugged at the edge of his vest, frowning at the gold buttons that lined the front from his chest down to his navel. Still appearing grim, Link turned to Zelda.

"As much as I appreciate you obtaining this for me, it's a little uncomfortable," he mentioned.

"Unfortunately, Lord Hur has never put on as much muscle as you have, and believe me it took quite a deal of persuasion to convince him that his vest should go to you," replied Zelda sharply, yet with a tone that was even a tinge coquettish.

"Lord Hur?" balked Link, "You had to give me his belongings?"

"Sh!" shushed Zelda, "You're much too loud at times. For all you know someone could've heard you!"

"How can I not be when you just gave me something from someone I hate?" exclaimed the Hero.

"You're also very childish and at times like these, it becomes especially clear that you used to live with the Kokiri. And secondly, you must know that really, many of Lord Hur's clothes are very becoming on you," refuted Zelda, who was evidently trying to hide a smile.

Link wisely decided to not pursue the matter further, and instead turned and made his way back into the chamber. Approaching the small oak table, the Hero grabbed a metal cup and with his other hand, a metal container. He watched as the ale, tinged with a shade of red, poured into his cup. The moment Link placed the container back onto the table, he noticed that Zelda was observing him with interest. Pointing to the ale, he asked her, "Would you like some?"

"No, thank you. I only drink wine. I don't really believe in consuming cheap drinks."

Link cocked an eyebrow and regarded Zelda with a bit of incredulity. "You'll be on a ship with sailors in a few hours, so getting accustomed might not be a bad thought. You have to wipe away the Princess from in front of your name, Zelda, if you want to survive out there."

Zelda approached Link and grabbed a second metal cup from nearby. The Hero seemed to smirk as he poured the liquid into her own cup. Carefully, Zelda regarded the ale with caution, yet also with fascination, before slowly bringing the cup to her lips. Link watched her, eager to witness Zelda's reaction and soon enough, Zelda cringed, wrinkling her nose and smacking her lips as she faced Link once again. "It's a lot stronger than I expected."

"Sorry, but it isn't wine," interjected Link, watching as Zelda took another sip.

There was a moment before Zelda spoke, "You know, if it weren't for this entire adventure, I wouldn't have realized how much of the world I've missed. But in a way, I'm almost afraid to see it. When Midna was taken away, I suppose that's when I knew how cruel and overly ambitious people could be."

"Really, now?" exclaimed Link with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Don't do that, you know I hate it when you talk like that," said Zelda, "It makes me feel as though you don't take me seriously."

"Out there a lot of people won't, and they won't even stop to consider that you're the Princess of Hyrule."

Zelda nodded, understanding. "I know, Link. But even in previous times when Ganondorf attacked Hyrule, it never struck me how one day I'd have to let go, how I'd have to just stop being the Princess and just be Zelda. Link, I don't think this is something you'll ever really know but when you're in power, it's exceedingly difficult to separate who you really are from your position. Everything just...muddles and mixes until it becomes almost impossible to put the different parts of you aside from each other."

"Is that why you wanted so desperately to search for Midna?"

Zelda took a moment to ponder the question, taking another few sips from her pint before answering, "That's part of it, yes. But another part of me does it because I truly care for Midna, perhaps just as much as you do."

They were seated now, Zelda upon the bed and Link lounged in a wooden chair. The Hero fiddled with the handle of his cup before a question entered his mind, prompting him to inquire. "Zelda, why is Lord Hur traveling upon the same ship we are when the other lords have their own? And no, this isn't a childish question. I think there's something you're not willing to tell me."

Looking up, Zelda pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. Then she met Link's eyes and sadly declared, "Father wants me to wed him. Of all the Lords he is the one with the most wealth and power, even. I agree he's a dolt, but that's never stopped a wedding before."

"But do you want to, Zelda?"

"Oh, shut your mouth, Link."

And Zelda downed the entire cup of ale, her cheeks flushing in the process.

* * *

"All aboard now!" cried captain Morus, walking to and fro along the port, "Don't waste any time! We've got a kingdom to save!"

Every member of the Hyrulian army was now moving even more rapidly than before, walking up the planks to settle in the lower galleries of the ships. For many, it was their first time on sea, seeing as Hyrule bordered none, and for many others, it would be their first major mission. The majority of Terminians at the Port were gathered in groups, watching and observing the movement of the Hyrulian army. Many approved of the fact that no Terminian would be participating in the upcoming war, as it was obvious that the loss of life could be on a massive scale. At the edge of the Royal (as the ship was named) stood the King of Hyrule in his royal robes, ensuring that his subjects were moving as quickly as they possibly could. With a look of approval, the King smiled at the efficiency of his troops, the twilight sun gently stroking his old, weathered features. Until he noticed his daughter, leaning heavily on the Hero of Hyrule.

The Princess was quite the sight.

"Wow! I've never actually been on a ship before Link!" Zelda slurred as she and the Hero made their way towards the plank of the Royal, "Isn't it just the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?"

"It's beautiful all right!" responded Link, trying not to meet the eyes of curious onlookers who had never imagined their Princess would act in such a manner.

"Goodness...Do you think I had too much back there? My head's a little heavy, I find..."

"You might have, actually," replied Link, horrified to notice that the King was staring directly at him and Zelda, who were both now close to the plank.

In her drunkenness, Zelda tilted her head to see her father. Giggling and smiling, she clumsily waved at him, her limbs weighted with the ale. "Hello papa! Hello there! It's an awfully beautiful ship you're standing on there! Or are you floating? It looks as though you're levitating..."

"He's standing," interrupted Link, cheeks turning as red as a cherry, "Now let me help you up the plank. See if you can put a little more weight on your feet for me, will you?"

"Oh Link, dear!" exclaimed Zelda, "Anything for you! Anything you need, just ask it of me you handsome man!"

Struggling, Link attempted to control Zelda's movements as they made their way up the plank. The Hero made every effort imaginable to pretend that the Princess was only a light feather, instead of a woman who had consumed too much ale. Lord Hur had now appeared beside the King, and frowned down upon the Hero.

"I say!" he said to the King, "Your Majesty, the Hero must have been behind something! The Princess would never touch any cheap ale otherwise!"

"Knowing my daughter, there actually is a chance that she would. Somehow, I don't believe the Hero is entirely at fault here, I'm just wondering why he didn't stop her."

"You must be very careful, Your Majesty! Now that her tongue's loose she can say anything that..."

"Thank you, Lord Hur. Can you verify that my daughter's quarters are ready? See to that, please."

Slightly offended, Lord Hur sulked away, leaving the King to watch as his daughter neared him. Out of embarrassment, Link dared not meet his Majesty in the eyes.


	2. A New Threat

The black sails billowed in the wind, folding back, flexing their large bodies as the ship traversed forward. Under the night sky of the ocean stood a familiar figure, cape flapping with each gust that caught its edges. With his arms across his broad chest, Ganondorf was a menacing character, glaring to the ocean that spread about the front of the boat. As the night unfolded, the rolling blankets of darkness descended upon the very prow the Gerudo stood upon, giving his eyes an even brighter shade of red, a contrast to the black. If it weren't for Ganondorf's presence, the night would have been of a much more serene nature, with the stars studding the sky, their lights piercing through the atmosphere and making their way towards the very earth.

"My Lord!"

Ganondorf turned at the cry, his back now facing the sea beyond. The tiny Stalfo cowered as the giant Gerudo addressed him, "What is it now?"

"They've made plans, my Lord," replied the Stalfo, shaking, "They're in the main cabin and they want you to speak to them at this very instant."

With a grunt, Ganondorf's feet thudded onto the ground as he pushed past the frightened Stalfo toward an eerie, yellow light illuminating from the center of the ship. Forcefully, Ganondorf thrust the door inwards and stepped into the cabin.

His captains were all there, assembled around an oak table with a map sprawled on the surface, its crinkly and wrinkled corners pushing off the edges. Small stones indicated the various ships Ganondorf had ordered his minions to build months prior to his plan. And surrounding the table were giant shadows, many of which were cast unto the map. It was the Iron Knuckle who spoke first to address his Lord.

"We head to Promethea first, my Lord," he declared loudly as Ganondorf approached the map.

"That's the nearest island, isn't it?" mentioned Ganondorf, shifting his weight unto his hands as he bent over the map, "I assumed that as we are two days ahead of the Hylians, they would head to Promethea first, wouldn't they? Remember, I ordered you to find a way with which we could avoid the Hylians, not engage in battle with them."

"It is precisely that aspect that led us to this conclusion, my Lord," rang a deep, melodic voice from Ganondorf's left. The Gerudo turned to face the speaker and smiled as he gazed at her. Proudly, a woman by the name of Reiza curled her lips into an equally horrible, and vicious smile. Where Reiza had come from, and of what race she was no one knew; All had their hypotheses however none had ever been proven to be true. The woman revealed an unbearably scarce amount as to her origins, and the one thing she ever spoke of relating to her past came in the form of a tale.

There was once a girl whose father often dealt in black magic. The man was not an evil character, per say, and from Reiza's story it was soon apparent to anyone that he was only, in fact, a man who was fascinated by dark magic and sought to attempt it. However, his passion for amateur magic often drove him to lock himself in what he named his "study" for hours upon hours, tinkling with whatever materials he could. It wasn't that he was a horrible father, he was solely one of those many persons out in the world who, dissatisfied with the life he led, sought for more and attempted to stretch his capabilities beyond their limits. But, what he dubbed his "little hobby" often caused him to shove aside his wife and daughter, driving the former towards a blacksmith that lived just down the road, and the second towards a pit of desperation in a bid to reclaim her father's love. The little girl had often been told to keep out of her father's way and to never, for the life of anyone, enter his little "study". So for years, the girl would pace back and forth, always just outside her father's door, hoping each day for something different. Maybe father would take her to the marketplace and buy her a new doll, or maybe even a new necklace. The girl held on to her little dreams and fantasies, praying that one day, her father would open the door.

Then came a day when all transformed, and soon the world the girl lived in become, in her eyes, something completely horrible and not worth loving. Outside, winter had taken its hold and the entire town was a wonderland, covered with snow, and ice. The girl was seated by a window, and occupied herself by reading a book, delicately turning its pages every few minutes. Of course, she was seated across from her father's "study", as always. Inside, the house seemed nearly empty, as her mother was gone to see the blacksmith while the servants had been ordered to remain at their own homes, a gift for their hard work. Unlike many children who loathe being alone, this girl did not mind. After all, she was, somewhat, near her father. Halfway through her novel, the little girl looked up and noticed that the door to her father's study was, in fact, ajar, with a dim light peeking through the crack between the door and its frame. She sat up, alert, before taking one last glance outside. The snow was falling heavier than ever, and her father's door was ajar. For the first time in months, the little girl grinned ecstatically, thinking that perhaps this was the day where father would step out of his door and love her, just as she wanted him to. Gently, so as not to make noise, the girl slipped from the window sill, and tiptoed to the "study", dreaming of the sensation she would feel as soon as father touched her small, delicate fingers.

She pushed open the door, and looked in.

To the girl's chagrin, the "study" was empty, and instead only books and strange bits of machinery lay around the dark room. Her father wasn't there, he had clearly gone somewhere else, away from his work. Tears began to fill the girl's eyes, however they were soon forced away as curiosity caught the girl's heart. Upon a small wooden table was a flask of white liquid, a sharp, bright contrast to the dimness of the rest of the space. Closer and closer, the girl slowly approached the table, and eventually found herself crawling onto a chair in order to examine the strange concoction. The girl watched as the substance bubbled and swirled around, dark lines of gray mixing with the white. It took a bit of courage for the girl to finally touch the flask, the cold glass making contact with her fingers as she wrapped her hand around the flask. The little girl's eyes widened in wonder as, upon her touch, the liquid seemed to mix and swirl even more rapidly than before, bubbles rising from the deep.

It was then that the girl made her grave mistake.

Possessed by the curiosity and nonsensical actions of other children her age, she touched the flask to her lips.

Fire shot throughout her body, causing her to shriek as she fell to the ground, her body having lost control of her legs. The girl was another being now, and the heat was harming her, forcing her to wish that perhaps she could simply jump out of her own skin. Around her, the room began to swirl as her small figure thrashed about, uncontrollable. Her mind was the next to go, as strange and terrifying images of dark beings filled her head. They were speaking to her in an old language, but she could not understand. It was a matter of time before the thrashing stopped, and the girl was calmed, sprawled across the floor of her father's own special space. Trying to wet her dry throat, the girl swallowed as she dizzyingly planted her feet upon the ground and straightened her back.

The reflection in a nearby mirror was terrifying, and the girl screamed.

Her skin was not almost completely white, with a slight tinge of purple that made itself known, contrasting with her jet black hair. Her eyes had been shrunk and stretched into the shape of almonds. The girl was horrified, and couldn't bring herself to believe that her father had concocted such a terrible creation.

Unbeknown to her, the potion had not yet finished, and it was at that instant when the secondary effect occurred.

At that instant, the darkest of abysses filled the little girl's heart, driving all memories of happiness into a forlorn and distant land, away from her mind. Love was extracted, and in its place, Hate of the deepest and darkest kind. The girl balled her hands into fists, malice filling her spirit as she gazed at the mirror, angry at what she had become. It was at that moment that any trace of humanity left within her was stripped out and chopped and slashed until there wasn't even a carcass. Her father had hurt her in a way he could never imagine. He was behind all this. And where was her mother? In her fury, the girl screeched, and at that instant, her father appeared at the door.

The servants were the first to discover their master, impaled upon a wall, a sword protruding from his chest. His eyes had been gouged out, and blood flowed everywhere around the room, dyeing books and pieces of furniture with giant pools of red. The little girl was nowhere to be found, prompting the servants to suspect a murder of a man and the kidnapping of a girl, as the child's belongings were still present and untouched.

During the same hour, the townspeople were gathered about the blacksmith's to witness the gruesome result of a deadly act. Pushing and shoving, the ruler of the town managed to make his way to the front of the line in an effort to observe what exactly was causing the commotion.

What he saw caused him to immediately vomit.

From the railings hung what seemed to be the corpse of the local blacksmith, limp and dripping with blood, much like a pig at the butcher's. Stab wounds dotted the lifeless man, and in his mouth was a piece of cloth. Not much further off was a lifeless woman, tied and seated upon a chair, throat brutally slashed. Her eyes had been peeled back with honey in an act many suspected was committed so that the woman was forced to watch the blacksmith die in front of her eyes. Along her cheeks were trails of dried tears that ended only at the cloth shoved into her mouth, forced out of her by the brutality and sadness of what she saw within her last moments of life.

Her daughter was never found.

Twelve years after the incident, a newcomer astounded the Terminians as she strolled upon the streets of Clock Town, introducing herself as Reiza. Dressed in the most inappropriate and revealing of attire, the woman was not like any other working girl they had ever seen. In one glance, men were captivated by her, claiming that she was one of the most beautiful women to ever walk the earth. Her raven hair hugged her thin waist as she promenaded every which way, causing even women to swoon upon gazing at her. For years, those in Clock Town would spend their time in attempting to uncover as much as they were able to about the girl. Her almond shaped eyes puzzled many, as they had never seen such exotic, dark, eyes. Many found her near-white skin quite unsettling, however it gave her some sort of eerie charm that all were able to accept, as it seemed to tickle and entice the senses of all those around her. Her thin lips were of a deep blue, and her fine nose curved slightly upward near the end, giving her a very noble disposition, as though she were of a wealthy family. But of course, that last couldn't be possible, considering her profession was to please men. In that last matter, she was of the most capable, as so seductive was she that it was near impossible for any man to pass by without fantasizing of her. With each swish of her hips, she caught everyone's attention, and with each drop of the shoulder, the introduction of her long, thin neck and small shoulders tempted every man. She was the very incarnation of a goddess, and the interested were willing to pay any price for even just one sole hour with her.

It had only been a year since Reiza's arrival when a cloaked man entered the brothel on the South side of Town. The towering Gerudo left all the women and their clients staring, mouths wide open, as he strode into the room and flicked his eyes from side to side. Before the matron could greet him, the Gerudo, words slightly muffled due to the scarf that covered his mouth, placed his hand upon the desk and leaned towards her.

"There's a woman here by the name of Reiza who I want to see immediately."

Trembling, the matron attempted her best to steady herself, "Unfortunately she's with a client at the moment. Please, take a seat perhaps because she has been with him for about an..."

To everyone's horror, the Gerudo slammed his fist onto the desk, "Let me see her now! If you don't I'll strangle you by the throat!"

"There really is no need to do that, sir."

All heads swung to face a doorway as Reiza made her way down the rickety stairs, her client trailing after her. Her loose purple dress clung to her and contrasted with her skin and features, giving her an almost eerie appearance of the most supernatural kind. She stopped by the matron's desk, one arm draping the wood as the other rested at her hip. The Gerudo seemed transfixed by her in the most surprised manner, as though he had not expected the famous Reiza to be as exquisite as she was. Then, in the most dismissive way, the Gerudo produced a hundred rupees from his satchel, leading even the cold, emotionless Reiza to raise her eyebrows.

"I'll be needing more than an hour with her," the Gerudo declared.

At that moment, Reiza angled her head and fixated her eyes on the Gerudo in such a way that suggested an inner viciousness none had ever seen from her. However, taking the Gerudo by the arm, she led him upstairs, closer and closer to her lair.

Reaching her chamber, Reiza shut the door and faced her new client, this time purposely revealing one bare shoulder as she sauntered to the Gerudo. Biting her lip, she reached up and traced his face, "Anything you want. You have two hours, after all."

"Sit on your bed and don't move."

Letting loose a slight chuckle, the girl moved to her bed, and gently posed herself upon the covers, careful to expose a bit of her thigh for the newcomer. Seemingly unfazed, the Gerudo continued, "Now stay seated and listen to what I have to say."

This last command startled Reiza and forced her to sit completely straight. Pacing back and forth, the Gerudo introduced himself, "You may have heard of me. My name is Ganondorf, and I am from Hyrule."

"There are many stories about you and a certain Hero, sir."

A highly disgruntled sound was forced out of Ganondorf's throat, before he eagerly continued, "Recently, a famous diamond merchant's shop was robbed of all his merchandise, putting his family into financial ruin. The merchant was having an affair with a certain working girl up to that moment. Then, she ceased to meet with him. Does that sound familiar?"

A suspicious gaze met Ganondorf, as Reiza crossed her legs and leaned backwards.

"Or perhaps the fact that the body of a certain local politician was found in the East part of the Town, who apparently died due to a suicide when he drank poison from a vial?"

Reiza threateningly pulled a bit of her dress to cover her shoulder, glaring at Ganondorf.

"You see, Reiza, I conducted my own research and I have come to a few conclusions. You must be the most manipulative woman I've ever met. You are cunning. You are, in fact, like a spider who traps insects into her web and does what she will with them. And for you, the insects stay there, completely willing to be at your mercy since they cannot escape your web."

There was a pause as Ganondorf halted his incessant pacing, and looked Reiza straight in the eye, "Which is why there is something I need to speak to you about, a certain matter I have been plotting for quite some time. And I am keen to have you participate and play a part."

Two hours passed before the matron laid her eyes upon Reiza for the last time. The exotic girl was cloaked, and clung onto the arm of the Gerudo that had walked in. There were no possible explanations needed before the matron fully comprehended the situation at hand. Alarmed, the heavyset woman sprung from her seat and proceeded to shield the door. "Sir, I demand you release the girl! Reiza is arguably the most prized possession I have, therefore she needs to stay!"

Calmly, the Gerudo replied, raising his satchel, "Please, madam, take all that is in here. There is a total of five hundred rupees for you to use as you please in exchange for this girl."

In the most masculine way possible, the matron spat on the floor at the Gerudo's feet, her face transforming into a shade of beet red as she met Ganondorf's eyes. "Five hundred rupees? This girl usually makes more than five hundred rupees a day! Do you really expect me to release her for five hundred rupees?"

"Madam, you're wasting my time and it really is beginning to irritate me."

"Then don't you run off with her! I'll hunt you down, I tell you. All you men think being the matron of a brothel is the easiest thing, but none of you ever understand the burden and all I have..."

A flash, then a thump. The blow had been as quick and silent as that of a viper, and soon the matron lay on the floor, bleeding from her chest, blood bubbling up her throat. Reiza let out a laugh and promptly licked the knife she had extracted mere moments prior. Then, turning to Ganondorf, she smiled. "That's what you should do when someone is wasting your time, sir. Don't stand around and talk it out. Action is what matters."

And now she stood in the cabin, one of Ganondorf's most prized allies. She had brought about the ruin of many a merchant due to her ways, conniving and teasing until her victims drove themselves to their own doom. The same fate had befallen the man who received the order to build Ganondorf's ships, no one was an exception to her web. It was surprising, almost unbelievable, actually, that one woman could strike such fear into the hearts of those around her. She was Ganondorf's second in command, a woman who was just as ruthless, dark, and, dare one say it, as insane as the Lord. And now, she stood at the table, dressed all in black, her raven hair draped down her back towards the waist of her trousers, one interested eye resting on Ganondorf, who returned her gaze. If there was one who could aid him in vanquishing the Hero, Reiza was the unmistakable candidate to do so. And it was only a matter of months, perhaps even days, before that would occur.

"Promethea it is, then," declared Ganondorf, still under Reiza's spell, "Set sail for the Northwest."

* * *

At the start of the night, a fleet of ships was heading for the Northeast, in the opposite direction from one not so far in front. In the distance was the Island of the Fallen, the first of the Island Nations the Hyruleans sought. The race against time had commenced, and the mission to save the world had as well. What surprises awaited them, none of the Hyruleans could imagine. But within their ranks stood a Hero, who, head held high, feared no one, and nothing.

To him, the Island of the Fallen was just another chapter in a giant book of adventures yet to come.


	3. Preparation

The serene waves of the ocean gently lulled the ships as though the rough, wooden structures were a small child in the arms of their mother. For the most part, the sun showed its bright face in the sky, occasionally being obscured by a lonely cloud that happened to drift in front. It was near noon and the day was warming, causing a barely visible mist to form just above the surface of the sea that was easily broken as the ships moved forward. Upon them, little figures moved back and forth along the decks, crying out to one another as the soldiers carried out their required tasks. A sense of ease had passed over them, making it nearly impossible to believe that the Hyrulians were, in fact, at war.

At the heart of all the hustle and bustle was the Hero, busy at work. His last encounter with Ganondorf now left him patching and hemming his infamous green tunic, his large, clumsy hands attempting to sew the gaps in the fabric. The effort made Link grit his teeth as his fingers repeatedly slipped; Never once had he imagined that such simple work would cause him the amount of agony and despair he was feeling. Surely, the man who had saved Hyrule twice over would find sewing to be much less complicated than battles with hideous monsters twenty times his size. Apparently, that was not the case, and Link found himself in a position where the sun was beating down upon the back of his neck, and he was, in vain, attempting to accomplish a task that was interminable.

"Your fingers aren't in the correct position," a voice spoke up behind him.

Turning around, Link squinted in an effort to recognize who exactly had said those last words. Soon, the dark figure that stood near his back cleared until Zelda's smiling face appeared. Smirking, Link diligently returned to his work. "I'm almost done, though," he protested.

"No you aren't, look at how many holes you still need to fix," remarked Zelda, gently lowering herself next to the Hero.

"Maybe your eyes are fooling you. After all, you did have too much ale so I can only imagine that your vision may still be a little blurry, Zelda," Link curtly replied.

The Princess raised her brows and twitched her mouth towards the side, an expression that forced out a chuckle from the Hero. Soon thereafter a white hand lifted the opposite end of his tunic, twisting the fabric in examination. "I could help you, Link. Believe me, it would save you quite the amount of time."

"Just observe, Zelda. I have many hidden talents."

"I doubt sewing is one of them."

Link sighed, feigning drama. "Just you watch, then."

At that instant, Link realized that he had, in fact, sewed the patch on with the wrong way facing him. Instead of green, there was now a gigantic spot of brown that dampened the appeal of his tunic significantly. Zelda took the small knife and gently wrestled the tunic from Link, who showed no sign of resistance. "Allow me, then?" inquired Zelda.

"If you wish," answered Link, a slight bitterness in his voice.

As Zelda's expert hands undid Link's error, the Hero's attention was caught by Lord Hur, who was approaching the pair. The sight of him nearly caused Link to scowl, however if there was one thing he learned from meeting someone of court, it was the act of self-control. The Hero maintained the impartial look on his face as the Lord neared, panting slightly.

"Good day to you, Princess Zelda," bowed the naive Lord, addressing Zelda.

"And a good day to you as well, Lord Hur," answered Link before Zelda could speak.

"Why, I don't remember addressing you, Link!" exclaimed the young man, running a hand through his sandy blond hair, "Perhaps you should only speak when spoken to, next time!"

"Perhaps you should make an effort to realize who exactly I am, then, next time."

A bizarre and foreign moment befell the trio, with Zelda sewing ever quicker to ignore the silence. Lord Hur soon cleared his throat and continued, "Well, I confess I was sent here for you, Link. The King and the other leaders have gathered on this ship's cabin to discuss where we shall dock. And they would relish your presence."

"I'm saddened to hear that you apparently won't be, my Lord. Surely I haven't done a thing to provoke you, have I?"

"Oh, that's enough for now, you two!" interjected Zelda, "We ought to be going to the cabin, now."

"Princess, I'm afraid you're not invited. Orders from your father," responded Lord Hur as lovingly as possible.

"Huh," exclaimed Zelda, a slight frown forming between her brows.

Link stooped towards her and whispered in her ear, "I'll tell you everything afterwards."

"I'll settle for that, then," agreed Zelda, returning to the tunic.

At that, Link stood up, pounding Lord Hur on the shoulder with such force that the latter nearly fell onto his back. "Well Hur my boy! Let's go shall we?" he hollered.

Lord Hur pouted. "I'd much rather you didn't make a scene. And please talk to me as you would talk to everyone else and forget the little formalities you deliberately put into your speech when you address me. You sound rather...Strange when you do that."

"Come on now, Hur! Please don't be such a poor sport!"

Link gripped the man by the arm and dragged him. This time, Lord Hur stumbled and very nearly landed on his front. "And for the Goddesses' sake do not pull me like that! Remember that I am a lord!"

"Really? Well, on this boat I'm afraid you are the same as everyone else: A soldier out at sea."

"You two are rather acquainted," sarcastically remarked Daron as Link entered, yanking a less-than-content Lord Hur in his stead.

"I'm always open to new friendships," retorted Link as he threw the Lord forward. The latter spun around to shoot him a disgruntled glare.

"I can see that," continued Daron, a mischievous grin on his lips.

"The Hero is very skilled at forming new relations with others, who would have known?" snarled Lord Hur, adjusting his sleeves. Link smirked back.

"Now boys, let's behave!" ordered Queen Ruto, emerging from her place, "We have serious matters to attend to!"

"Oh, I know, don't you worry. I'm not sure if the Hero does, however; He is rather like a little boy."

"I'm starting to think I'd rather deal with Ganondorf," Link muttered under his breath.

Ruto glanced at him. "Let's be men now, please."

"Men are, in so many ways, still boys, Ruto."

The King beamed at his subjects, most of whom were gathered around the room. Side by side, Link and Lord Hur approached His Majesty and bowed deeply, bending at the hips before returning to their full height.

"Now may the both of you please settle yourselves somewhere? Queen Ruto has some important information for us pertaining to the Island."

After glancing quickly around the room, Link walked briskly towards the wall to his right. Saria managed a small wave, which was returned as Link sat down upon a crate at her side. The Hero turned and addressed his dear friend, "I haven't seen you at all since we embarked. How has the ocean been treating you?"

"To be honest, I still feel quite nauseous. Being on a ship is completely different from what I envisioned it to be," replied Saria, the paleness of her face consolidating what had just been said.

"Now, then, let's begin, shall we?" bellowed the King from his makeshift throne, "Two of the Zoras have returned and both have news regarding the Island of the Fallen. Please, Queen Ruto, tell us about your scouts' findings."

Confidently, Ruto strode to the center of the cabin and opened her arms, addressing the assembly, "His Majesty speaks true! Please give me your full attention as what I am about to relate is important for when we arrive at the Island."

"Who does she think we are? Children?" interjected Lord Hur, "Come on now, Queen Ruto! Move along!"

"If you didn't interrupt, she would be making her main point at this moment," retorted Daron, arms folded across his chest as he stared disapprovingly at the young Lord.

Ruto waited a few moments before continuing. "The Island itself is not anything out of the ordinary. We are going to have to dock our ships a mile off the coast as the rocks will do significant damage if we approach enough. Of course, then we set foot on the Island, and it was there where my men found the most curious of beings."

All in Ruto's presence leaned forward, eager to hear more. Taking advantage of the attention she was receiving, Ruto lowered her voice. "Hylians, yet on wings," she announced softly.

"Wings?" exclaimed Link, brow frowning in concentration.

"They fly, then!" added Saria, eyes wide open in amazement.

"This is where the most curious element of our story occurs," narrated Ruto, the tone of her voice rising to meet her excitement, "Their wings were bound. They cannot fly as silver rings clasp their wings together, forcing them to walk and never leave the ground!"

"Well, that's completely useless!" interrupted Lord Hur once again. However, none paid attention as the Hero spoke next, "Then we need to release them from those bonds, don't we?"

"That's what I'm expecting as well," replied Ruto.

"Any clue as to what we need to do, then?" inquired Daron, arms crossed, "I'm expecting that we'll obtain the first Stone from them."

"Unfortunately, clues are not something my men returned with. In fact, I'm afraid to say we may not be met with the most warm reception once we arrive at the Island. My men were threatened, quite menacingly, actually, the moment the angels saw them. According to my scouts, the angels bore golden spears twice their height, and warned them about approaching. Of course, there was nothing my scouts could do, and two immediately returned; The rest are stranded upon the coastline, waiting for us to arrive and so far, the angels have not bothered, nor have they tormented them in any way."

"We need to ensure that we alert them to the fact that we come in peace, then," said Link, rising to his feet, "We might even need to anchor our ships more than a mile from the coast and proceed to row in boats. There will be no need for an entire army, so a handful of us will do. Where are your men, Ruto?"

"Remember, Link, my men never got the opportunity to thoroughly explore the Island. We will have to hit the shore in the direction we're traveling at this moment."

"Can't they just have fought the angels off?" exclaimed Lord Hur, "It would've facilitated everything!"

"But if they did that, the angels probably wouldn't even consider whether or not they should stay their hand and not attack us, wouldn't they, Lord Hur?" growled Link, refusing to even glance at the Lord.

"...Strangely I hadn't even thought of that..." murmured Lord Hur, creasing his brow as he attempted to deliver an air of sophistication and intelligence.

"Then we adjourn!" announced the King, "I leave you all to your own devices until we arrive at the Island. Please, if there is any news that may be of interest and of concern to me, do not hesitate to make me aware of such events."

A few members of the council muttered under their breath, frustrated and disappointed at the brevity of the meeting. Many found it a waste of their time, considering how the only main personalities who needed to be present were the Hero, Queen Ruto, and the King. One by one, they proceeded to pool out of the cabin and towards the planks that would allow them to board their own ships. Link shared the thoughts of many, deciding that the meeting had accomplished only some use, and even then the problem had been solved with a routine strategy. Adjusting the white chemise that was also obtained from Lord Hur's wardrobe, Link was in the middle of approaching the door when the King cleared his throat. Twisting his head back, the Hero observed as the King, with a slight gesture of the hand, motioned Link towards him. Obedient and loyal to his King, Link complacently turned on his heel, his back facing the door. The two honourable men stood, still as statues, until all the other members of the council had petered out, and the door had been shut as tightly as it possibly could. It was then that the King began.

"Link," uttered His Majesty, voice low so that none could possibly hear, "You must know that I consider you as a son, and one of my most noble subjects, do you not?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, and I thank you for the honour you have stowed upon me," answered Link in a clear, deep voice that rang and echoed about the cabin.

"I ask you to please listen as a son. What I am about to relate to you is very important, and I insist that you are aware of it."

"Then I will listen as a son."

At those exact words, the King could not help but inhale deeply and release a great sigh. His Majesty had begun a rapid tapping of the fingers upon his left knee, and the beatings seem to fall harder as the seconds wore on. It wasn't until a minute later when the King found the courage to speak to the Hero.

"I must ask you to be very attentive as to your behaviour when you are in my daughter's presence," the King said sternly.

Link's attention was now solely upon the King, his ears perking towards the heavens as realization struck him relating to the true nature of the conversation.

"You have always been one of Zelda's favourites, for as long as even I can remember. There is even one point in time where I suspect your importance to her began to outweigh that of Impa."

The Hero's insides were now growing increasingly finicky, and an unease began to cloud over his noble features.

"Link, I did not ask to speak to you in order to forbid you from seeing my daughter, that would destroy her in a way even you cannot imagine. But I am growing suspicious, Hero, especially as I witness the way you treat her. Compared to everyone else, you protect her with a sort of...ferocity and vivacity that cannot be emulated by anyone other than yourself. You gaze at her as though she were an elixir for eternal life that you are about to engulf. You listen to her as though she were a nightingale of a unique kind. However, most of all, you touch her as though she were a diamond. You are as careful with your fingers as a girl is when she is constructing flower rings. You keep your hands as sturdy as that of a blacksmith while he carefully sculpts his creations."

This entire exchange was an uncomfortable experience for Link, who was shifting from foot to foot as His Majesty's words crashed down upon his ears.

"And when you speak to her, I cannot help but hear the music in your voice."

Link flinched before meeting the King's eyes. "Your Majesty, I was never aware of such things."

"Oh, but you lie, Hero," countered His Majesty, a sparkle of pity in his pupils, "Remember that I, too, have fallen in love once before."

A deep breath, then guilt.

"However, Link," continued the King, "I must stress that who I fell in love with was a Lady, a noble, and it was acceptable for me to select her as my lifelong companion. You may be the Hero of Hyrule, Link, but you are no noble. Customs dictate that a man of your stature, and of your fortune, cannot ever be with the Princess. And we must respect these traditions, don't you agree?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Link as firmly as he could.

"Therefore, I must ask you to not show such impoliteness towards Lord Hur as you did just now. He is the only Lord of Zelda's age, and a hope for Hyrule's future. And please Link, for the sake of the Goddesses, be aware of your behaviour around Zelda. Now, you may leave. Perhaps you should find a change of clothing for when we anchor; We will need you then."

Laboriously, Link strode towards the door, his footsteps mechanical, his shoulders hunched. Well, there was no hope now. At the moment, the Island Stones held no significance for Link as he fell down into a dark abyss of despair that no one could identify. The Hero had always had a talent for hiding his emotions, and this time would be no different as he pushed open the wooden door and stepped, heavily, out into the sunlight.


	4. Arrival

"If that was meant to be difficult, it certainly didn't live to my expectations, Ganondorf."

Around them, Promethea burned. The Fire Island had already been known for the eternal flames that engulfed the forests. However, none of those living there had ever imagined that a man so evil would expand the fires to burn down their entire community. Skeletons of houses stood in the twilight as Ganondorf's men pillaged and ravaged the City of Promethea. Reiza and Ganondorf had situated themselves at the summit of a previously unoccupied hill, both analyzing the chaos they had just caused.

"That was quite unexpected. I assumed that the inhabitants of Promethea would have fought harder and that their defenses would have been much better equipped," declared Ganondorf as he eyed the area as eagerly as a cat eyes a mouse.

"Bunch of cowards living amassed," mused Reiza, "Now where is that Stone? I thought you said we came here to get one."

"Patience, Reiza. It will come to us very soon. The old man told us that he possessed it, don't you recall? You must learn how to listen, it will come of good use. Now in the meantime: where are the prisoners?"

At this Reiza let out a deep, sarcastic chuckle and pursed her lips to keep her from completely letting out a cackle. The notion of prisoners had seemed completely useless to her, and she had had her own time of amusement with the prisoners. And now Ganondorf was confronting her on the subject, and Reiza, as much of an agent of evil as she was, never told a lie.

"Did anyone say we needed prisoners?"

Reiza unleashed her long, raven hair from the bun at the nape of her neck, and nonchalantly explained the situation to Ganondorf, "I interrogated them about the Stone and I did attempt to force a search. You see, Ganondorf? I do have a little decency in me, just a minimal amount, though. None of the captives would stop moving, however, which made the search that much more eventful than it needed to be. And...well..."

"Well...?"

"I stopped them from moving, we'll leave it at that."

The red hue of the blaze reflected off Reiza's white skin, transforming her into even more of an unearthly being, if such a thing were possible, yet Ganondorf could not help but gaze at her. Even under the red light, Reiza was still the great and terrible beauty she was as the woman stood there, a slight smile gracing her lips. A patch of soot had settled upon her long neck, and Ganondorf proceeded to gently brush it off with a finger. Looking at her hands, Ganondorf could not help but notice that they appeared a little more red than the rest of the skin on Reiza's body, as though the blood had not been completely washed away.

"I'm beginning to think you're completely mad," said Ganondorf, gently stroking Reiza's neck.

"If I were completely sane, you wouldn't have considered me," was the reply.

Before another word was said, one of Ganondorf's most decorated Iron Knuckles straightened his broad frame and hollered in the Evil Lord's direction, "We've found the Stone! It was on the old man all along!"

"Very well, then!" shouted Ganondorf across the crackling of the giant flame, "Demand that the others ready their troops to embark! Our goal here has been accomplished."

With a nod, the Iron Knuckle receded towards a crowd of Ganondorf's minions who surrounded an old, graying man. The elder was a sorry sight, but even that thought made Reiza chuckle. Gently grabbing Ganondorf's fingers, the temptress slowly pushed them away.

"An old man is of no use on a ship, you and I know that, as out of our minds as we are," she murmured, "May I?"

"Do as is needed, Reiza," came Ganondorf's firm reply.

Smiling, Reiza descended towards the crowd, planting each foot in front of the other for stability. Her thin, delicate frame barely swayed as she made her way to the foot of the hill, hair billowing behind her. At one point, Reiza's right arm fell across her waist, followed by a brisk movement outwards only a second later. In her hand was a knife which glinted and reflected the light from the great fire, the other face of the blade revealed the old man's doomed expression as he witnessed the beauty gradually approach. Reiza would make it quick, as she had no time to waste on a useless elder.

* * *

Twilight fell, reminding Link of a dear friend as he stood, leaning on the edge of the ship, looking out into the distance. The Hero had practically given Midna away to Ganondorf, and the thought made him very ill as he recalled the last battle. Link had been told time and time again that he was not to blame for what had occurred, yet there had always been a nagging, unrelenting sense inside him that pecked and prodded at his mind. Of course it was his fault, Ganondorf had obtained the spell, unstopped. Negligence had cost him a friend. But, then again, how was it even possible to predict that such a situation would come to face him?

Laughter and conversation filled the summer air as the other soldiers narrated legends, myths, and stories of everyday life. Link dared not join them, yet the prospect of tales tempted him. That was why stories were created: diversion. An escape from the real world into a realm full of magic and heroism of the most noble kind. Who wanted to pay attention to their troubles when in a few words, they could embark on a whole new adventure, a journey to places that seemed far, far away? What motive was there to continue to work to no avail when one could be a prince, or maybe even a pauper? In the fantastical world, love was attained by everyone, and it was sure that with good deeds came a happy ending.

A happy ending. What a thought.

Zelda had been striding towards Link, unnoticed as the Hero pondered over the many things that clouded his mind. The Princess slid herself towards him, and it was only then that Link noted her presence. He remembered what the King had said to him, and faced an urge to pull away. Yet something made him stay, and soon he found himself in an exchange with Hyrule's beautiful Princess.

"I've been thinking about Midna, as well," she muttered, lacing her fingers together as she, too, gazed into the distance.

"Put on a cloak, you'll get very cold out here at this hour," said Link as he noticed the thin, white dress Zelda had chosen to wear, "See? Look here. It has short sleeves and it doesn't completely cover your shoulders."

"I would have worn trousers, if only father had allowed it," came the reply, "And please don't worry, I won't get cold."

"If you become ill, don't blame me."

"It's a deal, then."

The two stood in silence for a while, examining the lights that emanated from the other ships, little lanterns dancing in the impending darkness. From what they could hear, the other ships were as equally filled with joy, as voices of men rang in the air, singing and laughing. It was a sore contrast to how Zelda and Link both felt.

"You haven't spoken to anyone except me since the afternoon," proceeded Zelda, "After you told me the story of the angels you fell silent and kept to yourself. Did my father say something to anger you?"

"No, it's nothing, Zelda. It's just some things that you really shouldn't know. None of it is important to you."

The Princess nodded, having wisely decided not to pursue the matter. Instead, Zelda reached down and grasped a green pile at her feet. Link immediately recognized his tunic, and received the offering as Zelda dipped it into his hands.

"Thank you," he acknowledged, "It must have taken you a long time."

"I wouldn't say that," replied Zelda, leaning against the edge, "Impa took it from me after I had done three patches. Apparently even I was making a pathetic effort out of it."

They both chuckled a tiny bit before Zelda straightened, her gold hair making its way down her back. "Well, I leave you for now. You might want to put that on sometime before we arrive at the Island," she muttered before turning on her heels, leaving Link to his own devices. As she distanced herself from Link, Zelda's feet made slight slapping noises as her sandals hit the wood, gradually growing quieter as the Princess was further and further away. Watching her, it was impossible for Link to differentiate between the Princess of Hyrule and the Goddesses, as the lights from the lanterns seemed to shine through her thin dress, outlining her silhouette against the orange and yellow background and giving her a mystical air. Then she was gone, having entered her own section of the Royal Cabin on the ship.

With nothing left for him on deck, Link, too, decided to make his way towards the trap door in the center of the deck. He would change into his tunic, and attempt to fall into a calm slumber in the hammock provided for him. Grasping his newly repaired garments, Link so close to reaching his destination when a hand gripped his arm tightly. Turning, Link noticed that the hand was captain Morus', and the young man looked him in the eye. The captain held his face near Link's, so close that Morus' elegantly defined nose was almost touching that of the Hero's. In a whisper, the captain spoke to Link.

"Be careful when you're around the Princess, Link," cautioned the captain, "None of us could help but notice the two of you together like that. My men assume you're simply toying with her, but I don't think you're as simple as that."

"What are you suggesting?" asked Link, on his guard.

"Don't pretend you don't know," retorted Morus, pushing Link slightly away, "I'm just warning you: be careful. You don't want anyone starting anything about you and Princess Zelda."

Hostile, Link pulled his arm from Morus' grasp. "There isn't anything. Now please, leave me alone."

* * *

"Land!" hollered the sailor perched on the crow's nest.

Without hesitation, all soldiers looked to the front of the ship and, without a doubt, an Island appeared before them, a strand of brown in the center of the blue horizon. Flying out of the barracks, Link quickly tilted his head upwards, his line of sight passing over the heads of the other excited Hylians. Satisfied with what he saw, Link shouted to the other men.

"Come on, now! Let's move! Prepare to drop the anchor and find the wooden boats!"

At the sound of his voice, the soldiers sprung to action. The men sprinted to and fro along the deck, finding whatever was needed to halt the ship. The whole Hyrulian fleet was now in a flurry of activity, obeying their captain's every command. Through the midst of the chaos, Zelda threw open her door and ran to the ship's front, determined to glimpse the Island of the Fallen. There wasn't much for her to see, yet even the thought of a foreign place tickled Zelda's mentality and heart, and she stood there, watching intently as the fleet gradually approached.

"Zelda!" came a cry.

The King was nearing her, making his way through all the excitement. He carried his large stature along the deck and towards his only child.

"Father!"

Zelda approached His Majesty, her calm exterior juxtaposed with the brilliance that now burned in her eyes. "I need to get dressed! We'll be needing the boats very soon!"

"No, Zelda!" ordered her father, "You cannot be on the Island. You remain on board with me."

"I'm helping Link, father," protested Zelda, "You need to trust me. After all I've been through with him helping the angels won't make too much of a difference."

"I've given the Hero orders to not take you. Do not expect me to alter my decision."

"Father..."

"And do not protest, Zelda! For the Goddesses sake remain a Princess for once! Now, I leave you be, and do not cause any trouble. A girl your age should know better."

The Princess was left standing alone as His Majesty left, muttering to himself. Again, confinement was an obstacle. However, what the King had never observed in his daughter was her ability to plot, and throughout their exchange Zelda's mind had been working and turning. She would always be a few steps ahead of her father, and this time was no different. As soon as her father was out of sight, Zelda jogged briskly to her own private cabin, taking care that every man on board noticed her passing through the small door. The Princess was almost sure that her plan would proceed quite smoothly, so long as a few small logistics didn't betray her.

* * *

The Island of the Fallen now loomed before them. A whole hour of rowing had brought a fraction of the Hyrulean army, in their small boats, to only a few meters from the shore. There was a great disappointment among the men as they neared a very plain and very ordinary beach etched with graying rocks that protruded out of the brown sand. No trees or other spot of greenery was in sight, and the Island looked to be an extremely flat, and uneventful location. In fact, the plainness of the landscape forced many a man to wonder how the angels could even stand to inhabit such a place. Surely, winged beings would have found other more picturesque islands!

Impatient, Link found himself unable to wait for the boats to reach the shore. Therefore, using his arms and legs, the Hero pushed himself from the center of the boat (much to the other soldiers' chagrin as the boat rocked) and into the water. The salty liquid lapped at the Hero's knees and found its way into his boots as Link ran towards the beach, shield and Master Sword in tow. Beneath his feet, the sand seemed to stick and grip the soles of his boots, however Link remain undaunted and, in no time, he found himself standing on the Island's beach, wet, yet satisfied. Behind him followed Morus and his men, who had found it safer to remain in the boat as one group. To his left were the Gorons, who had found it very wise not to enter the water with their heavy, rock-like bodies, as the thought of being sucked into the deep sand horrified them. To his right, the Zoras had already arrived, skin wet with water as they seated themselves close by, waiting for the rest of the boats to arrive.

"Morus!" shouted the Hero, "Can't your men row any faster?"

"Perhaps if you had remained in the boat, you could've helped us!" was the irritated reply.

"We need to hurry! Think of this as a race, Morus, except this time the entire world is at stake!"

The Hyrulean boats were now one by one attaining the shoreline, and inside soldiers who flexed their arms and gripped their oars tightly as they rowed. Link's last words irritated Morus, who rolled his eyes as he heard them. Below the boats, coarse mud was now beginning to rise as the beach drew near, and with each passing second it became increasingly difficult for each man to dip his oar into the water, as it was no longer the deep sea they were in, but rather a continental shelf. Finally, after a long journey, the soldiers arrived and withdrew their oars, slamming them into the boats as gradually, one by one, they descended, planting their feet into the wet sand beneath them. The soldiers gripped what few belongings they had taken with them and dragged their bags and weapons behind them, grunting as their armour forced them into the wet sand. Impatiently, Queen Ruto fiddled with her fins as the Hylians took much too long, and it worried her that her men were still in captivity by the mystical, yet apparently ferocious, beings that lived on the Island. Unable to contain her haste, the Zora Queen angrily stomped toward the Hero, who was now increasingly unaffected by the slow pace of the small portion of the Hyrulean army that he had brought with him.

"Link!" hissed Ruto into his ear, "Doesn't Hyrule train her troops thoroughly?"

"Evidently not as thoroughly as we like to think," replied the Hero, examining his uneventful surroundings.

"How long will it take them to prepare themselves?"

"They will want some rest. I assume another half hour."

Dissatisfied, Ruto cleared her throat before opening her mouth once more, seeking to protest, yet something stopped her. In front of her, the Hyruleans troops were gaping in her initial direction, leaving some soldiers to drop their weapons in surprise and fear. Link noticed the change in the atmosphere of the beach, as well, and gradually twisted his head in the direction on which the perplexed troops were fixing their eyes.

"There were more! Of course, that was known, wasn't it?"

The booming voice echoed around the beach, giving it an air of emptiness. Startled, Queen Ruto spun around to find herself faced by a large, and winged, figure.


	5. The Angel

The angel had managed to stealthily settle himself not far from the Hyruleans as the latter busied themselves with their disembarkation. Before the Hero now stood a man whose noble brow was surrounded by a crown of golden hair that hugged the tip of his curved ears. His features had been sculpted with the utmost care, with eyes the colour of the sky, and a fine nose that followed a gently curve down to the tip, set above a square jaw and lips that seemed to belong to a young maiden, yet were surprisingly becoming upon the newcomer. A robe of white encircled the angel's body, folding as it fell down to his knees in a cascade of the most delicate silk. As for his height, Link was perplexed at how he could possibly only manage to reach the angel's chest. In the angel's hand was a golden spear twice his own height, gripped with the firmest of hands that were of a rosy tinge, a companion to the white of the angel's wings that were, as Ruto had conveyed, bound by large silver rings that bent and constricted them, preventing movement. Yet in spite of the rings and in spite of the grandeur of the angel, perhaps the most striking aspect of the newcomer was in his glance. The way with which the angel examined the Hero reminded him of the nobility. However, in his eyes and features there existed a tinge of sadness. This juxtaposition of pride and grief gave all soldiers the impression of a tragic hero, much like those they had witnessed during theatrical spectacles in days gone by.

"I have been expecting you for quite some time, Hero," said the angel, resting his blue eyes upon Link.

"I've come to free you and your people," declared Link as he gradually approached the angel, "Please, tell me what needs to be done."

The angel slammed the butt of his spear into the ground, causing Link to halt his steps.

"Do not approach automatically assuming that you are the Saviour we have long been waiting for," warned the angel, "And certainly do not assume that you can simply set foot on the Island. You say you are here to liberate us, yet you have no presumptions as to how strong the enemy you seek to fight is. With the Twilight Princess in Ganondorf's hands, I do wonder how worthy you are of this cause."

Fazed, Link did not know how to respond, "I...Forgive me. I did not know."

"If the capture of the Twilight Princess is a result of your lack of awareness for certain issues, then how do you expect to aid us?"

The Hero met the angel's eyes, "Then tell me what I have to do to prove myself."

A murmur spread among the soldiers as the troops heard what the Hero had said. Unmoved, the angel disregarded the bravery with which Link had pronounced his challenge and did not cease to keep his spear at the ready. Still positioned in his original stance, the angel was quick to propose.

"We will compromise, Hero. I demand that you duel with me. If you manage to disarm me, then I will lead you and the troops you have with you to the City of Haven, where my people resides. There, you can be sure that I will narrate the entire story of how our people came to be bound by these unbreakable chains. I have made you a promise, now all that is left is for you to accept the offer."

Without a second of thought, Link drew his Sword and kept the tip pointed at the angel. "Then I promise not to harm you in any way, and I accept the conditions."

With a veil of unwillingness, the angel approached Link, gently placing the beam of his spear to the blade of the Hero's Sword. One last exchange of glances was delivered on both sides, then both men raised their arms.

A clang echoed through the air as Link's blade came down upon the hilt of the golden spear. As soon as he recognized the blow as being unsuccessful, the Hero withdrew and quickly parried a swipe by the angel. Driving forward, Link forced an offensive upon the angel, letting loose a flurry of blows that were easily deflected by his adversary. The angel was deftly avoiding every attack the Hero attempted, with hardly a change of expression upon his face, so easy was the duel. As time drew on, Link grew increasingly frustrated with the fact that the angel seemed to hardly cringe as he defended himself. If only he could somehow get his hands upon the spear...

The Hero wasn't paying attention.

A bolt of gold lightning struck Link square on the left side of his jaw, swiping him off his feet as the Hero fell to the ground. Gasps rang faintly across the beach as the Hyruleans witnessed such an event. Recovering from the blow, Link placed a hand upon the spot where the angel had clobbered him, wincing as he located where the strike had landed. The butt of the angel's spear would leave a distinctive bruise, the Hero was sure of it. Fortunately, Link's adversary had not bashed his jaw with the amount of force needed to do serious damage. Above the Hero stood the angel, looking down upon Link, his expression unchanged, yet the tone in his voice had grown more stern.

"Come," ordered the angel, "You're not finished."

As though on cue, Link swung his blade, successfully driving his opponent back by aiming at his lower legs. The Hero forced himself to stand up, jaw still throbbing, ready to fight. This time, he was determined not to let his guard down.

Glaring at the angel, Link began calculating the various tactics he could use. The only option available to Link judging by the angel's skill would be to grip his spear and, using brute force, wrestle it from him. With the amount of mastery possessed by the angel in regards to his weapon, there was no doubt that Link would be unable to disarm him by simply using his sword. As the two opponents continued to stand still, facing each other, Link realized that he had to force an offensive, seeing as that would be the only time the angel's spear was near enough. Once again, Link sprung at his adversary, who met his blade with the long, golden spear. A downward slice was countered, a swipe across Link's body was neutralized, and a stab was deflected. There was a pause, then Link leaped forward, his slice pulling his sword hand out to his side.

It was then that the angel struck once more.

Taking advantage of his weapon's length, the angel slammed the spear's shaft into the Hero's left side, just under the arm. Link was flung to his right, landing with a solid thump, his body making contact with the rocks. The impact had been so quick and subtle that Link could barely recall what had occurred. Blood rushed to the site of where he had been struck, and where Link felt a significant amount of pain due to the force of the wallop. Again, the angel simply stood, gazing at the Hero as though he had not a care in the world, his blue eyes gleaming. Determined to win, Link stood up once more, and attacked with a similar swipe, this time keep his left side low and the shield on his right high in a bid to minimize any target at which the angel could aim.

But even that was in vain. The force of the next blow blasted Link through the air and sent him crashing onto the ground, the spot under his left ribs throbbing. Groaning in agony, Link hoisted himself onto his elbows, making eye contact with the angel as the latter continued to show no signs of struggle. Expressionless, the angel planted himself firmly a few metres away from Link, his spear by his side. As Link struggled, it was at that instant that the Hero noticed a fact that had been repeating itself for the last few blows. Knelt over and still upon the rock, Link recalled every single motion that had been made in the battle so far, and it dawned on him. The angel had always been waiting to deliver blows to his left side, his sword hand. Link understood that as his right hand held his shield, the angel was aware that aiming to the Hero's right side would prove to be useless. His legs were also out of the question as the difference between the height of the two fighters would leave the angel in a position where Link would have had enough time to determine when the spear would swipe at him. Therefore, that left the Hero's left side. Although his sword was quick, the angel recognized that as soon as Link raised the Master Sword or dealt an attempted blow outwards, his body would be left open and a ready target. In conclusion, all the angel had to do was bide his time until such an opening presented itself. Then, taking advantage of the speed he possessed, the angel would quickly strike, seeing as Link would not be able to bring down his sword or shield in time since the Hero would not have foreseen the blow. It was so simple, and so logical that Link had difficulty understanding how it took him so long to realize the angel's strategy.

Forcing himself to his feet, Link decided to try one last time.

In a flurry the Hero launched himself at the angel, forcing his opponent to block his blows. Link would push the angel back as much as he could manage, biding time himself before the final strike. So far, the angel remained unfazed at the routine attack. It could even be declared that he was, in fact, quite bored. The angel's spear gleamed and gave off flashing beams of light as the sun struck the golden surface of his weapon, reflected in the Hero's blade. Holding their breaths, the Hyruleans watched every move both men made, fearing that their Hero would lose. Anxiety had gripped all the troops except for one lone soldier who stood, arms crossed, watching the duel with a smile of the most curious nature upon his lips. Link did not hold the Hyruleans in his conscience, as now was the time he decided to take the risk. Carefully, Link shot his sword up into the air, taking note of the slight shift in the angel's grip on his own weapon.

This time, the Hero knew what to expect.

Swiftly Link pulled his shield to the left side of his torso, barely bracing his arm in time before the spear landed. An enormous crash sounded in the air and for the first time, the angel widened his eyes as he was caught completely unaware. Link lost no time, as he recognized that he only had a few spare moments before the angel would regroup. As rapidly as he had raised his blade, Link dropped his sword the instant the end of the spear caught his shield. Before his adversary's recovery, Link gripped the angel's weapon tightly with one hand, then in one deft movement shot his legs upward with all the force he could muster as he thrust the spear shaft downwards. Unfortunately for the angel, the only grip he had upon the spear was with his right hand, and the momentum Link generated forced the spear out the second the Hero's feet kicked his weapon. The spear flew as Link released as soon as his attack was complete, after which he landed squarely upon his legs and laid a hand upon his blade. Pointing the tip at the angel, Link, breathing heavily, confronted his defeated opponent.

"We agreed that if I disarmed you, I win the duel, and you help us."

Austere, the angel sat himself down upon his knee until his head was level with the Hero's. Without fear, he met Link's eyes and gently nodded his head.

"My name is Marius," the angel professed, "And yes, Hero. That was the promise made. The City of Haven is not far away, but let us hasten before it begins to darken."

There was a pause as Marius calmly dressed himself to his full height, spear in hand. With a gesture of the hand, he invited Link to walk alongside him. Taking the offer, Link stood by the giant as the rest of the Hyrulean troops began to mobilize. As they faced the flat horizon, it was then when a glint caught Link's eye. Far off into the distance there looked to be a collection of towers, a stark difference to the bland and gray location in which they were constructed. But why was there light? Well, no matter. The City of Haven was only a good three hours march away, and soon the Hero expected to find out for himself.

"Princess Zelda will also quite enjoy the City," declared Marius, "I expect it to match her taste."

With that said, Link turned his head about and his eyes bore through the small crowd of Hyrulean soldiers. Zelda had not yet been caught, and there she was staring back at his with her starry eyes. She had been the lone soldier who was at ease during Link's duel with Marius, so strong was her belief in Link. Without addressing her, Link continued forward. It was of no use to protest Zelda's inclusion in the mission, seeing as nothing would deter her from doing so. And even though Link would never confess to anybody, Zelda's presence was one he was quite content with. The Princess provided a certain sense of security that not even the most able of warriors was able to muster.


	6. The City of Haven

The afternoon sun was beginning to set when a fleet of black ships departed from a burning island. Leading the ominous group was the largest ship of them all, completed with red sails that distinguished her as the leader. At the very top of the same ship sat a Stalfo in the crow's nest, overlooking the horizon. He noticed how a few clouds were gathering due East from where they were, not dark enough to indicate a storm, yet the next few days could prove to be gray and cold. Yet that was not what the Stalfo had been told to watch for. In fact, his captain was much less concerned about the weather in the coming days. Rather, the Stalfo had been instructed to scout for a second fleet of ships that could be anywhere in the vast ocean.

Boredom had cast itself upon the Stalfo, as the dullness of the watch had left him immobile for three hours at the very least. Ganondorf had ordered the Stalfo to put peer as hard as he possibly could into the distance in all directions every ten minutes at the most. Loyally, the Stalfo had complied for the first half hour before he began to shun his responsibilities. He was quite fortunate that the Lord was not with him in the nest, as the sight of his lack of initiative would have surely gotten him punished. Taking advantage of his master's absence, the Stalfo had leaned himself back onto the pole at times, and slept. At this point, the Stalfo had just woken up when he heard a fellow henchman's cry.

"Oy!" came to voice of a secondary Stalfo, "I'm here to relieve you of your shift! Report to the master!"

More than enthusiastic, the Stalfo quickly clambered and gripped the rope ladder that attached the crow's nest to the deck, and descended. His nimble frame shot down the ladder, so relieved was he that someone would act as a replacement. Nodding to his companion on deck, the Stalfo sprinted to the main cabin, dodging other soldiers in the process. Balling his right hand into a fist, the Stalfo violently knocked on the door, and waited for a response.

"You may enter!"

A turn of the handle and a push of the door was all the small skeleton needed to find himself face to face with Ganondorf. Familiar with his tasks, the Stalfo lost no time in delivering his report to Ganondorf.

"The Hyruleans are nowhere in sight, my Lord," he began, bowing low to show Ganondorf respect, "There is no trace of any evidence that we are in danger."

"Very well done," responded Ganondorf, "Did you notice any changes we need to be aware of?"

"Some clouds are rolling in, but they don't indicate a storm of any kind," came the swift answer.

"Thank you, you may leave."

Head remaining low, the Stalfo retreated, leaving Ganondorf to his own devices. Satisfied that the Hyruleans were far away, Ganondorf slowly removed his gloves, taking care not to stretch the leather out of which they were made. After the gloves, the Gerudo unclasped the cape from his shoulders, throwing the black fabric onto his bed before sitting at the edge. He thought of Link, the despised Hero of Time. He wondered where exactly the Hero could be at the moment, and whether the latter could also, again, thwart his plans. As he thought more and more of the Hero, Ganondorf grew extremely irritated and let out a grunt in order to chase Link from his mind.

"You think of the Hero much more than you need to, Ganondorf."

Looking up, Ganondorf witnessed Reiza slink from behind a screen. She had abandoned the black jacket and trousers she had adopted before, and now opted for a light red dress that stretched to mid calf while her shoulders were bared. Ganondorf watched intently as Reiza made her way to a small dresser complete with a mirror on a stand. Reiza adjusted the mirror's angle and, looking down, began to tie her hair in an elaborate fashion. The Gerudo continued to admire her before speaking.

"Red doesn't suit you," he stated, keeping his eyes on her white skin.

"I don't have much else to wear, Ganondorf, and I needed to find something."

"What was the need?"

"My attire was soaked with enemies' blood, making it disgusting to wear," explained Reiza dismissively.

Smirking, Ganondorf rose from his bed and gradually stepped towards Reiza, his heavy footsteps echoing on the wooden surface. His exquisite accomplice had just managed to wrap her raven hair at the back of her skull and secure it with a pin when the Gerudo placed both hands at her waist.

"For someone as bloodthirsty as you are, I'm stunned you would say something like that," he murmured softly as his lips met Reiza's neck.

"I'm a woman, what did you expect?"

Ganondorf moved his arms around Reiza, his mouth never leaving her skin. "I'll find a way to get you some more dresses. In the meantime, why don't you check on our little prisoner down below?"

Reiza's head snapped towards a latch in the floor of the cabin, a dark oak in the middle of a sea of light brown. Complying, Reiza released herself from Ganondorf's hold and strode towards the opening. Her hand grasped the metal handle and Reiza pulled to reveal a dimly lit room at the bottom of a small staircase. Eerily calm, she took the first step down.

"And come up as soon as you are able to," demanded Ganondorf, staring at her from a few feet away, "I enjoy your company immensely. And at that I mean more than simply speaking and plotting with you."

Reiza delivered a small laugh in reply before she made her way down to the lower level of the ship.

At that instant, Midna awoke.

The Twilight Princess' face had thinned during the last few months as she was trapped in the cage, however her eyes still bore the same violet fierceness that was so characteristic of her. During her first days of captivity, Midna had repeatedly attempted to escape from her cage, yet the metal bars were cursed with a spell derived from the power of the three Weapons. At each attempt, Midna had been repelled by a static force that shot her from one side to another, leaving her powerless. Now, the Twili no longer took advantage of her chances. She had been utterly captured. Yet Midna's situation did not prevent her from sneering at Reiza as the dark beauty approached her. The latter reciprocated the emotion as she stopped directly in front of Midna.

"Your friends have been extremely lucky, so far," declared Reiza proudly, "But with Ganondorf and I at the helm, it will only be a matter of time before you no longer see your Hero and Princess."

"You and Ganondorf? Ha!" exclaimed the Twilight Princess, "Ganondorf is only interested in doing one single thing with you, and that would be spreading your legs!"

An earsplitting clang bounced off the walls as Reiza, furious, had grabbed Ganondorf's Mace and pounded Midna's cage, sending blue bolts of static into the air. Undaunted, Midna continued taunting.

"Why so angry? You're a whore, so it shouldn't make a difference to you."

A second bash from the Mace forced Midna to lie her head flat on the ground as Reiza stood there, a vicious look in her almond eyes. "For a pitiful sight, you still have fight in you," she growled, backing away from Midna, "But you'll pay one of these days! You will! You and your friends!"

"Link and Zelda will save me, don't you worry," was the confident response, "And you can tell Ganondorf that I am completely fine in here! Of course, that is if you don't make it to his bed first."

This time, Midna screeched in pain as her back made contact with the metal bars of the cage. Reiza, in her anger, had hurled the Mace at Midna in an effort to silence her. Still retaining her emotions, Ganondorf's accomplice quickly made her way up the stairs, banging the latch shut as soon as she reached the top. Breathing heavily, Reiza turned to meet Ganondorf, who gazed at her, intrigued.

"She would like me to inform you that she is fine!" grumbled Reiza as Ganondorf again placed his hands at her waist.

"Why, thank you very much," said Ganondorf, desire in his eyes as the Gerudo analyzed every bit of the lady's body, "Now, let me calm you down. I see the Twilight Princess has toyed with you a bit more than I expected."

* * *

"Unbelievable!" exclaimed Zelda under her breath and in awe, "I've never seen anything like it."

The City of Haven rose before them, a grand crystal in the center of a drab environment. Despite that the sun was now setting, its beams were still able to be seen by the Hyruleans due to the diamonds that made the city walls. In fact, the entire City was constructed pure diamonds with surfaces so hard that it was virtually impossible to mark the gems. Towers rooted themselves to the ground in clumps as a gigantic crystal wall surrounded the city. Peering closely, Link could somewhat make out the silhouettes of other angels like Marius, their wings also binded by the mysterious silver rings. He, too, was stunned by the sight of the City of Haven, as never before, even in his dreams, had the Hero witnessed such splendor.

So engaging was the sight that Link did not notice Marius step forward and place a hand on the diamond city wall. It wasn't until a glow illuminated from the angel's hand did Link turn his attention back towards his guide. Expanding vertically from Marius's fingertips was a thin line of light that pierced through the diamond coating and extended to well above the angel's head, at which it divided into two streams. Not long passed before it became clear that a doorway into Haven was being created. Enchanted, many of the Hyruleans stood, mouths gaping. Having observed their reactions, Marius could not prevent a warm-hearted smile from appearing on his handsome face. A slight crackling noise, and soon the doors slid to the sides, the diamonds embedding themselves into the wall. With a gesture, Marius beckoned the Hyruleans to follow him.

The angel turned to Link. "Welcome to the City of Haven."

Link looked downwards, and found himself staring at an elaborate road constructed of emeralds, rubies, and every gem he could imagine. The Hyruleans started along the path, glancing from side to side in a pleasant shock. As the towers spiraled above their heads, the Hyruleans also made contact with the other angels, beings just as grand as Marius who were fascinated by the newcomers. Everywhere Link went, all action stopped, and all eyes rested upon him as he slowly marched through the City, along the winding roads that seemed to stretch on and on. A few of the angels reached a hand out, yet pulled back, not daring to touch the Hero. Many more came closer, and some even followed the procession through the City. Behind them, faint lights shone through the translucent diamonds, casting shadows of piercing blue, rose, violet, and every other shade imaginable upon Link's skin. In fact, the entire area seemed to be studded with a rainbow, as the colours flitted around, veiling the City of Haven. Enchanted, the Hyruleans progressed through the City, mouths agape and eyes a-shining.

Marius broke the spell, a little too suddenly, in the opinion of many, "Here is the abode we reserve for travelers, and it is welcome to anyone who would need to rest. Please, enter and make yourself as though you were at home."

A tower like the others stood before them, ornately sculpted. One by one the soldiers pooled through the opening gate made of gold. Inside, Link lifted his head to examine the diamond staircase that spiraled and lifted towards the tower roof. There was no need for light, as the diamonds shone like stairs in the night sky, illuminating a great deal of the edifice. A murmur ran through the Hyrulean army as not one soldier could believe that they would be housed in such a fine creation. Uncertainly, they approached the stairs, unsure of themselves for fear of somehow cracking the diamonds. Taking a deep breath, one of the Zoras gently laid a foot upon the first step, resting it to test the staircase. Then a second step, and then a third. Reassured that he would come to no harm, the Zora turned and nodded to his companions. In a line, the soldiers began the march up the stairs, their light satchels at their sides or upon their backs. Link watched as the soldiers ascended, yet also kept his eyes upon one lone soldier that remained upon the ground by his side.

Princess Zelda had been counting the number of rooms available, a task she was able to perform due to the ruby doors that stained the diamond floor in front of them red. She was frowning, and Link knew that she realized that there were not enough lodgings for every soldier to stay by himself. A look of worry had installed itself upon her face, and it was clear that she was trying to find a feasible solution to her problem. Zelda was perfectly aware that Link knew her identity, yet she could not ask to rest with him as her question would betray her identity to the rest of the Hyruleans. Secondly, she still feared that the Hero would deem her request too inappropriate and unfitting. However, she couldn't find a different path she could take.

Link summed up his courage, and leaped. "You will stay with me. Walk in front and we'll find a chamber."

The soldier swung her head to face him, her chin slightly tucked and eyebrows raised. It was an expression Link knew too well, as Zelda had often glanced at him that way when she found something he said unacceptable. This was no different, yet Zelda's only response was to start up the stairs, with Link following behind.

"Link!"

The Hero turned to see Marius who was staring directly at him. "We meet here tomorrow. I need to explain the task that lies before you."

A simple nod showed that the Hero acknowledged Marius' words before Link clambered up the stairs after Zelda.

* * *

"I won't say anything."

Link closed the door behind him as Zelda sat upon the nearest bed. The Princess gripped her helmet with both hands and pulled it off her head. She loosened the bun in her hair and began to remove the rest of her armour when Link spoke again, "How did your father not catch you?"

"It isn't difficult to bribe your own subjects," explained Zelda, standing to pull off her chest plate, "You pay them a sum, tell them to keep quiet, and make that you're ill and in your own cabin and that no one is to see you."

"And you will be ill the entire day and night?"

"No, of course not, father will find out by then. All that is needed is enough time for you to not get caught. Now, if you'll excuse me I must bathe."

Link's eyes caught the diamond basin in the corner of the chamber. Above it was a thin curtain, yet anxiety caught Link by surprise.

"And how will you do that with me around?"

Zelda made her way over to the basin and released the clasp that held the curtain, allowing it to fall and cover the basin. "There is a curtain, Link. I wouldn't worry too much."

"That curtain is extremely thin, Zelda. I'll still be able to..."

"To see a silhouette?"

Link felt blood rush to his cheeks. "Yes, that would be it."

"Well it isn't as though you're bathing with me so if it bothers you so much, turn around and don't look in this direction until I'm done," replied Zelda, stepping in behind the curtain, "Well will you look at that? There's warm water here already!"

"And what if I need to look in that direction if I'm, say, looking for something?"

A white shirt catapulted onto the floor from behind the veil, alarming Link and causing him to turn on his heels. "Then you can get out, it won't matter."

"That's tart," mumbled Link, reaching for the door, "Be quick!"

Zelda had stopped splashing in the water, and now her entire frame, standing in the basin, stood still. "Link," she uttered, "Do you hear that singing?"

Perplexed, Link faced her, so shocked by what she said that what embarrassment he had experienced evaporated. "Singing?"

The two stood in silence. Zelda was not mistaken, the melodic voice of some woman was faintly echoing around the room. If neither had been listening so intently, both would not have heard the melody float through the air. It was a mysterious song, flowing and melancholic as it reached Link's ears as the woman hummed the piece, taking him to a fantastical land somewhere unknown. The Hero and Princess were entranced, opening their ears to find the source of the music. In one deft movement, Zelda used her strength to rip off the curtain and wrap it about her frame. Stepping out of the basin, she then joined Link's side, eyes in all directions and hearing heightened. The song had grown louder and louder, until it was clear to both Link and Zelda that the woman was humming a sort of sad lullaby full of grief and desperation.

"There!" exclaimed Zelda, racing towards a mirror upon a desk, "It's coming from there!"

She was not mistaken. The song was emanating from the little gold mirror, as an image of flames flared upon its glass face.


	7. At the Eternal Fountain

A large heap of black fabric was piled in the center of what looked to be a dungeon, its walls closing in even on Link and Zelda, creating a suffocating feeling. Chains were scattered everywhere, with a few leading from the fabric to the walls. Not knowing what to think, Link assumed that what they were viewing was a corpse, eroded down from its years in the dungeon, rotting in the atmosphere. Whoever was humming the song was continuing, the melody still rolling and tumbling throughout the room. Seeing nothing, Link was prepared to step back from the mirror when a movement caught his eye. The heap of black that laid upon the ground had stirred, and was now moving to an upright position. It was then that Link knew from where the song came, and that what he was looking at was a living being, however close to becoming nothing but dust.

A haggard face worn by captivity presented itself to Link. The prisoner's skin was gray, and drooped downwards as wrinkles created valley's in her face. Her wings were tattered and fraught with gaps and holes, and bore the same shade of gray as the stone walls that engulfed her. In the state she was found in, Link was stunned that the fallen angel could still manage to hold her weight, as she was nothing but a bag full of bones. Sensing that she was being watched, the prisoner stared straight at Link, continuing to hum the same song. Eventually, her deep set eyes seemed to shine for a fleeting moment, and the captive reached down, her chains weighing her to the ground. Her skeletal hands ruffled what was left of her attire, searching for something with urgency. Link succumbed to curiosity, and moved his face closer to the mirror, so as to see what the prisoner was clawing at.

Briskly and with most of her strength, the angel lifted a golden scepter. Peering at the object, Link absorbed the elaborate carvings and gems that decorated the scepter, attempting to identify the images. Detecting his interest, the prisoner smiled slightly and extended out her arm, as though handing over the scepter to Link. When the Hero didn't respond, the angel pursed her lips and began stretching towards him. Intrigued, Link, too, raised his arm and reached for the scepter, his fingertips out in front. The Hero's body bent forward as he made an effort to contact the scepter. But the moment he felt that their fingers were close to touching, Link drew back in surprise as the mirror surface turned black before reverting to its reflective surface. Around him, silence reigned as the music had so suddenly ceased, and the Princess stood there, equally taken aback as the Hero was. They stood there, bodies forward, perplexed by what they had just seen.

"We need to see Marius as soon as we can," said Zelda.

"I agree. Put on some clothes and we'll go find him this moment," replied Link.

"Did he say where we would find him?" asked Zelda, reaching for the shirt and trousers she had carelessly thrown earlier.

"No. But we have the whole night to find him, and the morning as well."

"Finding him tonight is the best. Now, please turn around, I'll be ready in a little bit."

* * *

Link hadn't taken notice to his wounds until now. As the Hero and Zelda raced down the staircase, Link could not help but cringe with each footstep. It wasn't until they were halfway down when Link decided to place his hand upon the left side of his ribs. The only solace the Hero could depend on was the fact that Marius had not struck him severely enough to crack any bones. However, the bruising was so severe that Link was sure that had Marius flung his spear shaft into his ribcage using slightly more power, no doubt it would have splintered. Link's jaw was only slightly better, though a large area of the left side was covered with blue, green, and even dark violet. What's more, it was quite difficult to block the throbbing feeling that emanated from such a wound. For an instant, Link felt a certain sense of frustration and irritation towards Marius, but quickly controlled his sentiments as he realized that it was not the angel's fault that the latter had a duty to defend the City of Haven. This reasonable and logical conclusion busied Link's mind as he descended, with the pain he felt allowing Zelda to, for once, overtake the Hero towards a destination.

"Now where?" grunted Link as they reached the bottom.

"We'll go and ask," answered Zelda, hastily making her way towards the tower entrance, "I'm sure most of the citizens here know who Marius is."

"Defender of Haven, sent to wreck havoc among intruders," sarcastically added Link, a hand still upon his ribs.

The serenity of the City was even more pronounced during the late night. Unlike the sun that coated every stone with golden light, the moon draped its silver covers over every little thing in sight, downplaying the glow from the colourful gems, but enhancing the diamonds. Not one being walked the streets, allowing the wind to sing its own mystical song as it blew through the City. The emptiness was calming, yet it discouraged Link and Zelda, who decided that Marius would be harder to find after all. The Hero and Princess stood there for a few moments, absorbing Haven at night before Link spoke.

"I'm afraid we will have to ask for directions by knocking on doors. You think they would appreciate that?"

"I don't see another choice we have. And time is running out, I feel it. If we don't move quickly Ganondorf will garner more Stones than we will."

"Alright then," continued Link, striding towards the nearest door, "We'll start with this one."

Determined to not create a significant amount of disruption, Link tapped his knuckled upon the door of the tower next to the one in which he was living. Almost instantaneously, the door flung open and an angel towered over Link. The Hero was slightly startled by the guard's crimson robes that seemed to appear out of nowhere, contrasting with the diamonds. He regarded Link with curiosity, even allowing his eyebrows to shoot towards his forehead to the point where they were almost buried in the guard's dark brown hair.

"Good evening, Hero," he greeted Link.

"Good evening. I hope we haven't disturbed you but we have something important we need to discuss with Marius. Can you tell us where he is?"

Solemnly, the guard raised his right arm and pointed towards the North. "Make your way to the Northern Gates and walk through. You will find a path that you will need to follow. Eventually, the road will snake and wind around the circumference of a hill and at the very summit is where you will find Marius. That is where he can be found every night sitting by the Eternal Fountain, whose water never runs dry."

"Why does he...?" began Link until Zelda gripped his arm tightly.

"Link, let's just go we'll find out later. Thank you, sir, and have a nice night!"

"Likewise, Princess. And be safe."

Without waiting for another word from the guard, Zelda yanked Link in the opposite direction, running through the streets. As they progressed, it seemed almost a shame to Link as they trod upon the gem roads, as though with each step they were degrading more and more stones, pounding them to dust. However, the Hero was also beginning to wish that the buildings were not made of diamond; It was difficult to identify every twist and turn as they made their way through Haven. Link and Zelda shot through the streets, their shadows falling and breaking the brilliance from the towers that surrounded them, their breath cutting through the silence of the air. Gradually, the buildings began to one by one grow scarcer as the Hero and his Princess distanced themselves from the center of the City. Suddenly, they passed one last building before a stone wall dressed itself in front of them, with another guard, this time dressed in green, waiting.

"May you please open the Gates for us, sir?" inquired Link, "And as quickly as possible. We need to meet with Marius at once!"

Sensing the urgency with which they requested his aid, the guard lost no time. Placing a hand upon the stone wall, the guard summoned his power and soon the outline of a gate was visible. Barely waiting for the Gate to open, Link had begun to stride towards the formation, with the guard finishing his job the moment he arrived. Zelda immediately followed Link, and both stood, waiting for the Northern Gates. A simple crack and creak signaled the opening of the Gate, and as soon as he could fit through, Link jogged through, directing a nod in the guard's direction to thank him. Zelda, on the other hand, consecrated some time to formally deliver thanks, bowing slightly to the guard before bounding after the Hero.

The light from the night sky and City illuminated the path ahead of them, and allowed Link and Zelda to notice the silhouette of the hill the first angel had directed them to. Following Link, Zelda could not help but notice how eerie the silence had become now that they had left the shelter of Haven. Link, on the other hand, looked to be quite undaunted as he ran along the path, assured that no danger would befall them. Swallowing her discomfort, Zelda kept as close to the Hero as she could manage without completely wearing herself away. Keeping her eyes upon Link's feet, Zelda had no desire to look at the empty spaces around her. The Princess's concentration upon her companion's run was only broken when she noticed the gradual incline and wind of the path, alerting her to the fact that they had began to mount the hill. At the instant, Link's sharp ears detected the sound of trickling water, a relief within the semi-darkness that surrounded him and Zelda. Keeping to the path and ears perked, the Hero allowed the sound of the water to direct him to the very end of the path, where he stopped as the Fountain, and Marius, sat before him.

The Eternal Fountain was made of the finest marble lined with streaks of gold, orange, and brown that snaked all along the contours of the Fountain. Contrary to what he had envisioned, Link found that the Fountain was a great deal smaller than he had imagined. What impressed Link was the clarity of the water. Never before had Link seen such clear and untouched liquid, whose surface was so devoid of the smallest bit of dirt and dust that it, too, shone with the colours of a rainbow that could be seen even during the night. The Fountain was composed of two layers, the higher of which was crowned with the small statue of an angel holding a scepter in her hand. An addition to the beauty of the Fountain was Marius, who still possessed the look of a tragic hero, and who was also in the act of gazing upwards at the night sky in a sense of wonder. The angel was seated upon the bare ground, back leaning upon the edges of the Fountain. With the moon shining bright upon him, Marius's features had softened evermore, giving him a certain exquisiteness that rendered him almost to the point of resembling a supernatural being. He had not moved, nor had he offered a glance as Link and Zelda approached him. Instead, Marius's eyes were locked upon the beauteous abyss that sat above him. Yet before the Hero or the Princess could speak, Marius was the first to address and begin an exchange, demonstrating that the angel was, in fact, alert.

"Have you ever wondered how the stars in the sky came to be?" Marius inquired in an incredibly soft, melodic voice.

"Many in Hyrule are attempting to solve that mystery," responded Link unhesitatingly.

"Then would it shock you to know that each and every star you see in the night sky is actually the soul of a departed angel, who is sent upwards after their death to always watch over the kingdoms of the world?"

In reaction, Link and Zelda lifted their heads towards the stars, their blue eyes scintillating with the lights from the heavens above. "They watch every action we take, then?" asked Zelda.

"You're quite correct, Princess, every action."

It was only then that Marius lowered his handsome face and gently smiled at Link and Zelda. "The Goddesses created us to protect the heavens and the Sacred Realm, did you know that? Opposite to what many of your men believe, we are not, however, bestowed with any magical power. I believe the Goddesses thought it best to leave magic in their own hands, so as the world would not be pushed towards the brink of destruction. Each one of us lives for thousands upon thousands of years, protecting the Goddesses and their kingdom, serving them. Yet here we are now, bound, and unable to communicate with the Goddesses."

"Marius. I apologize and do not think I am uninterested in the story of your people, however we have a matter we need to discuss with you," interrupted Zelda.

"Oh?" they had caught Marius's attention, "Please tell."

Link volunteered to narrate the story, "The Princess and I were resting in our chamber when we heard a melody, sung by the voice of a woman that radiated every which way."

"It sounded like so," added Zelda, who began to vocalize the sad melody, matching what they had heard pitch by pitch to the angel. The moment the first notes rang from Zelda's lips, it became clear that Marius was familiar with the song. His sudden reaction of surprise betrayed him, prompting him to slowly turn his head to lock his gaze upon the ethereal statue at the tip of the Fountain before returning to meet the Hero's eyes.

"Where was she?" he asked eagerly.

"The mirror in our room showed that she was locked in a sort of dungeon, chained with a scepter that she held in her hands. From her current state, I doubt she'll live much longer," replied Link.

Slowly, Marius propped himself to his feet and sighed, "Let me tell you a story that is relevant to the task before you. It really is best if you hear."

The angel sat himself down upon the Fountain's edge and began his narration, "Thousands of years ago at the beginning of Time, the Goddesses created us to guard the heavens, as I have already told you. Din, Farore, and Nayru made each and every one of the angels swear an oath to also never touch magic, for that would go against every value that the Goddesses ever stood for. For centuries we all stood by the oath we swore until just a century ago. There was one among our ranks, Luke, who dared to defy the Goddesses. He believed that as guardians, we were entitled to the magic that the Goddesses strove to keep away from us. From that moment, we could almost smell the betrayal brewing in his heart, and we tried to stop him. The Goddesses had been keeping an eye on Luke, and decided to eventually intervene, contrary to their usual policy, in order to prevent Luke's magic from becoming too dangerous. At that point, it was much too late, and he threatened to destroy this entire island if they dared to interfere."

"The rings around your wings are from him," concluded Link.

"Yes, Hero," answered Marius, "They are. As a punishment, Luke bounded us, and abducted our Queen and the royal scepter, which is the only artifact that can break the rings. Do you see that mountain yonder? He now inhabits a cave there that many have tried to access, but perished trying. It is from there that he rules."

"That is what we are here for, Marius," continued Link anxiously, "We're here to break the rings and return your Queen to the throne!"

Marius smiled at the Hero. "That, I understand, and I thank you. But I must warn you: Luke has made quite the contribution to our night sky," he paused to extend his arm and point to some stars, "I can count a few dozen just from here. You must remember that his magic is strong, and therefore you must be careful."

"Marius!" exclaimed Zelda, "If many of your angels have tried to kill Luke, how will Link manage when he is simply wielding a sword?"

"That is a very good question," began Marius, "The moment we were imprisoned under Luke's command, the Goddesses visited us for one last time. They told of a Hero who, with his Master Sword and one true companion, will be able to defeat Luke, so long as he is careful. Only the Sword found in the Temple of Time can defeat Luke. Besides that only one of the Weapons can do so, but last I heard all three were defunct, am I correct?"

Link bit his lip, as the mere mention of the Weapons reminded him of Midna. "Yes, we lost them. And I am ashamed of myself for it."

"Do not be ashamed, Link," comforted Marius, "You must understand that each mistake can be revoked, and there exists a solution to every problem. It is simply that here, we haven't been able to find the solution until you arrived."

With that, Marius doubled over to the side, dipping his hand into the Fountain. Moments later the brightest diamond Link had ever laid his eyes upon glittered in the darkness in Marius's hand. Carefully, the angel cradled the stone, and looked both Link and Zelda in the eyes. "This is the first of the Island Stones you wish to collect. Restore our Queen, break our bonds, and retrieve that scepter. Achieve that, and you will receive this Stone from me. If not, the choice is yours as to what you would like to do."

"We'll set off at morning, then," proposed Link.

"Yes," agreed Marius, "You need rest. Luke is not an opponent to fight while fatigued. I wish you both a very good night."

Once again, Marius sat upon the ground, continuing to gaze at the sky. Feeling slightly unsure of themselves, Link and Zelda made the conscious decision to leave the angel to his own devices, and returned down the hill, arm in arm.

They were at the hill's base when Zelda spoke once more. "Ridiculous," she muttered to herself, "How can a sword manage to defeat such an opponent? The Goddesses are certainly in your favour, Link. Make sure to take advantage of this."


	8. Battle

If anyone were to ask Link as to how he felt the moment he opened his eyes, they would be quite worried to know that the Hero was not in his best form. What used to be a sharp pain in his ribs had now transformed into an ongoing sore that ached with the Hero's every movement. Groaning, Link remained in bed, facing the lovely ceiling that roofed the chamber. He gritted his teeth and pondered over how he was to manage battling Luke as he had said he would. But it was no use laying about, so once again Link attempted to sit up in his bed, but in vain as he fell back down.

Zelda's face was the next thing Link saw. The Princess had heard him and decided to help. Frowning, Zelda removed the blanket from Link's body, exposing his torso, and examined the wound.

"He definitely struck you harder than I expected," murmured the Princess as she passed her hand gently over the wound, "The bruising has extended all the way down to your bone."

"Damn Marius," moaned Link, flinching at Zelda's touch.

"It's obvious that he is very intent on challenging you," replied Zelda, "Now let me help you up. See if you can prop up your back a little so I can put my hand under you. That's very good! Now, slowly and carefully; This will hurt quite a bit."

Link gave a little cry as he steadily drew himself up, already considering how he was to wield his sword.

"Rest your arms on the bed and push, it's much easier that way."

Obeying, Link gently did so, and after what seemed to be a prolonged session of pain, he was sitting upright. The Hero sighed and turned to Zelda, "Thank you."

"Your most welcome," answered Zelda, "Now get up! I'm almost ready; All I need is my bow and quiver of arrows."

"How are your hands still so soft?" inquired Link as he rose from the covers.

"Excuse me?" responded the incredulous Princess, "That was a little out of context."

"It's just that you've been wielding swords and fighting all this time. I thought you would have developed calluses."

"Well, let's just say I'm magical," said Zelda charmingly, "Now as much as you like my hands get dressed! The sooner we finish our business here the sooner we can get to the other Islands before Ganondorf does."

* * *

"You're positive that Marius pointed to that mountain, yes?" checked Zelda.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life!" came the reply.

Once more, the barren landscape. After having experienced the City of Haven, the rocks, the ground, and everything looked to be even more bland. The flat terrain was certainly not the most motivational of scenes, and in fact the mountain in which resided Link's opponent looked extremely awkward and out of place in such a landscape. But, the mountain itself appeared no better, with its sharp and almost spindly arms that reached towards the clear sky in thin shafts of rock. Even with the sun shining upon its surface, the mountain boasted no beauty, and was as plain as a white smock. No caves were visible as of yet, though Link doubted that they would provide any relief to his boredom regarding the land around Haven. Zelda, normally so optimistic, had given up on any hope of a more eye-catching scene and as of the instant her eyes had glazed, unwilling to find any symbol of beauty around her.

"Two hours of treading, and no sign of any life," declared the Princess, "Strange how the angels have been confined to this Island."

"I was thinking that myself," returned Link, "Perhaps when we defeat Luke something glorious will happen and trees and flowers will simply sprout everywhere."

The two companions pondered the possibility for a few moments. But in the end they both shook their heads and simultaneously said a resounding, "No."

Only a mile separated Link and Zelda from the mountain, and at this point a slight movement near the mountain's base caught Link's eye. Sensing that something different had occurred, Zelda looked to the Hero, "What is it?"

"Something, or somebody, is near. They've retreated into the caves, I suspect."

"That's a little unnerving. Should we have brought more men?"

"We would only be risking more lives if what Marius said is true."

And silence, once again between them, settled itself for the rest of the journey.

If the mountain had seemed dull from afar, it was certainly hideous from up close. A howling whistle echoed through the mountain as the wind squeezed through each of the rock shafts that Link and Zelda had noticed prior to arriving. Even more disconcerting was the absence of the cave the Hero was seeking. From the moment Link had trod upon the stone slopes, not one cave was in sight, and Link was becoming frustrated with himself as he had failed to remember to obtain directions from Marius. Half an hour had passed since Link and Zelda had began to climb, and both were growing impatient. The noon sun was now upon their backs, and the Hero and Princess now took note of the heat as they escalated unmarked paths in the rocks. Gradually, the mountain was wearing down the Hero, who had difficulties facing both the climb and the pronounced ache at his side. For once, Link had allowed Zelda to run off ahead of him when she had insisted that he should tread slowly. Now, the Princess seemed to skip along the rocks, leaping from surface to surface and losing no time in examining her surroundings. She was now so sure of her movements, and so bold and confident that Link was, for the most part, impressed with the change in her character. Yet he also doubted whether the rock was a safe location to demonstrate Zelda's new-found sureness.

"Zelda!" yelled Link causing the Princess to stop in her tracks, "Be careful you're moving a bit too fast don't you think?"

"You worry too much, Link!" answered Zelda with a grin that stretched from ear to ear, "Just be sure to pace yourself; I'm sure that bruise hasn't healed much from this morning. And you must admit, it was a nasty-looking piece of work!"

"I'm just making sure you don't break a bone. Have you ever even navigated mountains before?"

"No, but everything has its beginnings!"

Link chuckled and shook his head as Zelda resumed her task. The adventures they had undertook together had shaped her character, enhancing some new qualities that the Princess only somewhat possessed prior to their scuffles. But along with the intrigue Link felt, a sense of sadness was attached. The Hero was learning so much more about Zelda every day, and now he found himself in a stable sort of love that he was able to maintain without rendering himself insane. Yet Link did not know how stable his emotions would remain if Zelda were to wed Lord Hur.

"Link!"

Zelda's cry pried Link from his reverie.

"I think that's it! There's a cave only twenty feet away from where I am!"

Almost leaping towards her, Link fought the stones beneath his feet to stand at Zelda's side. The Princess was not mistaken; a cave was, indeed, there. A faint light shone through the opening, which Link took to be signaling Luke's presence. Zelda was already approaching the cavern, and with a motion of her hand she beckoned Link to join her, which the Hero compliantly did.

It was soon clear by the flitting, warm glow of the light that fire was near. Following the path before them, Link and Zelda made sure to keep as quiet as they could. As they progressed through the lit cave, their surroundings increasingly brightened, alerting them to the fact that a confrontation with Luke was not far away. Sensing this, Link gripped Zelda on the arm and pulled her back until she was safely behind him. Zelda reciprocated his action, but Link simply shook his head and shot her a warning glance. Forced to remain satisfied with her new position, Zelda detached her bow from her back, and reached back into her quiver for an arrow. The Princess placed the arrow upon the bow, not yet drawing the string, however prepared to do so should she and Link face any harm.

The crackling of fire had augmented in volume, with Link and Zelda finding that they had reached the end of the passageway. A large, circular entrance to a separate part of the cave was drawing closer, and in reaction Link and Zelda kept to the cavern wall on their right. Zelda had tightened the string on her bow, and Link, in one silent movement, drew his sword from its sheath. Instead of walking, Link and Zelda now crept to the entrance, as they could hear voices. When they reached the gap, Link gently prodded Zelda towards the wall, making sure that she was plastered against it as he looked down below.

There was a drop that led to a cave chamber, and at the end of the latter was a throne made of skeletal remains. Seated upon it was who Link presumed to be Luke. The angel was decked in robes of black, a sinister match to the gray of his enormous wings. His hair was almost completely white, yet it was tinged with gold, a reminder of his glorious past as one of the other angels of Haven. However, unlike the angels, and certainly as a contrast to Marius, Luke's features were sharp, although not blunt and cut enough to render him unattractive. At the moment, the evil angel's long face was contorted into an expression of boredom as he carried on a conversation with someone who Link could not see.

"Strange how long we've waited to face Hyrule's Hero, don't you think?" Luke's voice was thick, yet had a mysterious melodic ring to it.

"Yes, sir, quite strange! Who would have thought the angels would all try to have a gander at us first?" hissed the unknown, "But you should be able to defeat him."

"Raspute, that is very obvious. My magic has strengthened with each killing, haven't you noticed? All fifty or so of them, all their souls collected into what you guard."

"Anything for you, Master!" exclaimed the servant, "I guard the glass with my life."

"Good, for we all know how precious that glass is to me."

Zelda tapped Link upon the shoulder and whispered into his ear, "His magic is strong; I could feel its vibrations from even before we entered the cave."

In normal times, Zelda's words, when spoken as they were, would not have been heard. Yet Luke's head had snapped up the moment Zelda exchanged information with Link, and he now smiled. With one swift extension of his hand, Link shoved Zelda backwards as a giant explosion of rock occurred, sending thick powder into the air. Once the powder cleared, Zelda saw that Link was now clinging onto the edge of the precipice for fear of plunging down onto more rock. Ferociously, Link shot a glance at Luke who had stood from his throne.

"Link!" he exclaimed, arms outstretched as though in welcome, "I was debating how much time it would take you to finally meet me here. You took much longer than I expected."

"Much too long!"

Twisting his head in another direction, Link noticed that the servant with the hissing voice was, as he suspected previously, not an angel nor a Hylian of some sort. Rather, a gargoyle was standing upon a ledge with another, yet extremely small, cave section from which came a faint, blue glow. A stone slope led to where the gargoyle was, and Link wondered what it was that the gargoyle was guarding. The Hero then turned his eyes back towards Luke, who had moved and caught his eye once more.

"Here, let me help you," snickered the angel.

Link felt himself lifted from where he clung and moved away from the rock. He now looked at Zelda, who was confused by what she was seeing and remained where she was, mouth agape and eyes wide. A black glob of liquid floated between them, and soon it was expanding, engulfing Link in a transparent, yet gray layer that circled around him. The Hero then knew that Luke had formed a sort of sphere about him, and moved about in vain.

Then the drop.

Link cried out as Zelda disappeared from his view and down he went. The Hero was being pulled down towards the ground as fast as a rock that had been dropped from someone's hands. He was now suspended near the top of the bubble and was now plummeting towards the ground. Zelda had dared not approach the ledge, and now shuddered not in fear for her own safety, but for Link's. The sound of shattering glass alerted Link that he had hit the bottom, and with a heavy thump the Hero crashed to the ground. Painfully hoisting himself upon his hands, Link lifted his head to growl at Luke, who still remained in the same space.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You want your Princess as well, don't you?" mocked the angel before snapping his fingers.

Mere seconds was all it took for Zelda to come crashing down. The Princess had been contained in a bubble similar to that of Link's, and a similar shattering caused Link to snap his head to his left as Zelda landed. She slowly rolled over before pushing herself from the ground, her upper torso leaving the rock as she flinched and glanced at Luke. During that time, the angel had approached her and now placed a hand under her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"You're a pretty little thing, aren't you?" cooed Luke in a joking manner, "I've always wanted a beautiful woman like you serving me."

With that, Luke carelessly dropped Zelda's head and pulled away from her. The angel was only a few feet away when Zelda snarled, "Do that and I won't be so beautiful when I murder you in your sleep!"

"Oh? A threat? Princess Zelda, no royal lady is supposed to talk that way."

"They would if they needed to deliver a strong message."

"I have heard you are gifted in many things, Zelda, however you are disappointing me so far."

"Leave her, Luke," ordered Link as he brought himself to his feet, "I am the Hero you are destined to fight, not her."

Luke sighed as he met Link's eyes. "Very well, then, let the games begin."

The angel stretched his arms wide, and from his shoulders shooting down well beyond his fingertips, a pair of giant, blank hands appeared and began to move. With one swift motion, the hands wrapped their enormous fingers around Link, constricting the Hero who struggled, sword always in hand. Before he could attempt to slash at the hands, Link felt himself thrown across the cavern and struck a cave wall.

"You bastard!" hollered Zelda, collecting her bow and arrows.

"I wouldn't shoot, Princess," warned Luke, "Do not worsen the situation. Surely you are clever enough to know that."

"He will defeat you," growled Zelda.

"Somehow, I am beginning to doubt that."

Luke raised his arms pointed to the sides of the cavern. Link and Zelda rapidly glanced about as some stray boulders about them began to crack, and open. High pitched and horrible howls echoed about the cavern as gargoyles appeared from the boulders as chicks hatch from eggs. Each of the fowl and gray creatures lapped their tongues, snapped their jaws, and expanded and flapped their wings as they awoke. The horns upon their heads were small, yet looked to be extremely sharp. Once they were settled, hungrily they observed Link and Zelda, as Luke stood by, proud of his magic.

"Well," the angel caught their attention, "What are you all waiting for? Tonight, you will have a feast!"

Zelda drew a dagger from her belt in time to stab a flying gargoyle in the chest. Link, bearing his pain, had prepared his sword and shield and now slashed in all directions as the gargoyles descended upon him. Gritting his teeth, Link chopped the wings off one monster to double back and slash off the head of another. The Hero felt a certain sense of relief that he had chosen not to bring more men, as a few surely would have perished by that point. Zelda, too, shared his sentiments as she drove her boot into the mouth of one of her attackers, wrenching a few of its teeth out of its jaw. Fortunately, most of the gargoyles had decided to occupy themselves with Link, and that gave Zelda room to prepare her bow and arrows, and send a barrage flying at Link's enemies. The Princess skillfully battled the gargoyles, easing the pressure put upon the Hero, who spun about one last time, sword extended, either distancing or ending the lives of the monsters before him. With her deadly aim, Zelda took down the last of the gargoyles, and the two young warriors could not help but shoot a slight smile at one another as they stood, panting.

Luke grunted out of frustration before turning to the Hero once again. "Your skills in combat are as illustrious as I have been told. But do not assume that you will exit the cave. In fact, you and your Princess will be very prized decor upon my throne when I'm finished here!"

Raising his arms, Luke balled his hands into fists and delivered an upward punch with both hands. Almost immediately, the ground began to shake, forcing Link and Zelda to bend with the legs and keep their balance. After a few moments the trembling ceased to continue and instead, an ear-splitting series of cracks diverted the Hero and Princess's gaze towards the roof of the cavern. They both knew what was occurring even before the first boulder tumbled from above. Link and Zelda began to run, their attention captured by the rocks that came crashing down from above. To make matters worse, the boulders seemed to fall in the pattern with which they ran about the cavern, making it impossible to stay in one spot.

A series of falling rocks pushed Zelda until her back was pressed against the wall of the cavern. Always attentive, the Princess dived to her right in order to avoid another rock that would have struck her right on her head. About to push herself back onto her feet, Zelda found that she was unable to do so as a heavy boulder fell in front of her and pinned her shirt to the ground. Swearing in Hylian, Zelda struggled to draw out her dagger when a crack caused her to seize in fear. A rock had dislodged and was now being pulled downwards to land right on top of her. There was no chance that Zelda would be able to escape, no matter how hard she fought. Heart racing, the Princess could only curl herself into a ball as the boulder came down.

* * *

"Zelda!" hollered Link in a panic, "Zelda!"

Link had witnessed Zelda go down upon the ground, and he had also seen the first boulder dislodge and block her from his view. A final, resounding smash resulted from the second boulder piling on top of Zelda and the first rock. Zelda's feet, the only part of her Link could see, moved no more. Link stood there, gaping forlornly at the pile as Luke stood by, smiling. The angel's gargoyle companion was still standing in his same spot, cackling. Unmoving, Link absorbed Luke's words as the angel crafted a deadly black sword out of his own magic.

"You must be grieved, Hero," sneered Luke as he tested his blade, "She was quite a woman, wasn't she?"

Link vacantly faced Luke, causing the angel to laugh at his facial expression before continuing in a much gentler tone, "I will negotiate a deal with you, how does that sound?"

Hearing those words, the fire returned to Link's eyes, "A deal! What do you want?"

"I know why you're here, Link. You want the Island Stone, and the angels have told you that you need to defeat me in order to obtain it. Here is what I propose: if you surrender now, I will return Zelda to life. But in return for such a favour, you and your Hyrulean contingency will leave the Island and leave me to always control the angels. If you decide not to surrender which, really, wouldn't be wise on your part, you will duel with me to the death. Win the duel, you obtain the Stone and leave on a marvelous journey! Lose the duel, and you and your Princess will promptly become my most prized battle souvenirs."

Satisfied with the state of his sword, Luke pointed the blade at Link with one final challenge, "What will it be, Hero?"

The angel had expected to play upon Link's emotions, as it was clear as to how he felt about the Princess. He stood, a satisfied smile on his face, as Link tilted his head toward the ground, fists clenched tightly about his sword and shield. Luke sighed as the Hero weighed the options in his head, biting his lip as he did so.

"Decide quickly, Link. I have other business to attend to. Although I must say, Zelda does mean a great deal to you, and my magic is strong. Make a wise decision."

"I know," replied Link in a low voice, "I have already made it."

"Then, what will it be?" smirked Luke.

At that Link raised his sword and pointed the tip at Luke, "I challenge you to the duel. As much as Zelda means to me, knowing the nature of dark magic, I don't assume you will ever be able to bring her back and ensure that she remains the same woman she was. Also, I'm more worried at this point about Ganondorf and what he will be able to do once he reaches the Glass Palace with more Stones than I have."

Luke took a few moments to absorb what the Hero had just said. Then, with a determined motion, the angel directed his sword to the center of the cavern and one by one, reduced a few of the boulders to powder. He then faced Link, "Well, we must start, then."

And both launched themselves at each other.

* * *

Zelda opened her eyes after keeping them shut for a few moments out of fear. The Princess had breathed deeply in order to calm herself and restore her mind and body to the present moment. Turning her head the her left, Zelda realized that the boulder that pinned her to the ground had, in fact, saved her. The second boulder had been too large in size, and it had landed above the Princess. However, the first boulder and cave wall, by luck situated close enough to one another, prevented it from falling right on Zelda. Instead, the crushing blow that was supposed to end Zelda's life had, instead, created a roof above her body. As soon as Zelda was conscious as to her surroundings, the sound of magic and blade clashing one upon the other alerted the Princess to the fight between Link and Luke. Noticing that her shirt was still pinned underneath the rock, Zelda took her dagger and cut herself free. Using her arms, the Princess gently dragged herself outwards to peek at the scene unfolding before her.

Although she did not doubt Link's abilities, Zelda was somewhat surprised at how Link was managing the battle. Luke was shooting magic at Link, all while attempting to thrash him with his sword. Link was parrying each blow, all while using his shield to block the magic. Above them upon a short cliff, the gargoyle jumped up and down, cheering on his master. But what caught Zelda's attention was the effervescent glow that emanated from behind the gargoyle. The sentry was obviously hiding something for his master, and Zelda was determined to find out.

Luckily, Zelda had held her bow during the onslaught. Adjusting her frame accordingly, Zelda took out a bow from her quiver, stealthily, so that no one could see her. A slope led from a few feet from where Zelda was to the gargoyle, and Zelda was determined to mount it. The Princess drew her bow with the aim of defeating the gargoyle in one stroke. Instinctively, Zelda released her arrow. So sure of her aim was she that Zelda immediately dragged the rest of her body from under the rocks just as the arrow sailed into the gargoyle's neck. As the monster shrieked in agony, Zelda sprinted up the slope, dagger and bow in hand, making her way towards the glow.

Luke hadn't noticed Zelda until the gargoyle's cries, and watched as his faithful servant plummeted to the ground below him. Both Link and Luke had separated when they heard the horrific death of the gargoyle, and now they both saw Zelda running up the slope. The angel's eyes widened. In a predictable action, Luke shot a bolt of black magic at Link, attempting to hold him back while the angel conjured another black hand to grab Zelda. The instant Luke raised his arm, Link prepared himself and launched his sword, successfully intercepting the black hand that shot at Zelda. Link's blow forced Luke to stumble sideways due to the impact, and bought sufficient time for Zelda who was at the opening in the cavern wall.

Running in, Zelda saw before her eyes a glowing crystal ball, propped upwards by a stone table. Inside, what looked to be a black spirit was rotating around and around the glass. Down below, Link had managed to subdue Luke with his shield, and the angel was now hollering for Zelda to stop as Link prevented him from performing magic. Heart racing as swiftly as a galloping horse, Zelda took her dagger and ran towards the globe. With all her might, the Princess smashed the dagger's tip into the globe, the blade running through the glass as the latter scattered into pieces. Then came a whirlwind of events that seemed to happen all at once.

A fierce wind rumbled through the cavern as the spirit of black magic disintegrated. Zelda felt herself being carried through the air as the wind spiraled all in its surroundings. Link had initially been thrown against a wall of rock, where he now hung on for dear life, praying that his sword wouldn't hit anyone as it had also been lifted by the wind storm. Yet mixed with the wind were cries of agony, as one by one Luke was torn apart. There was no blood from his body, however the sight made Link sick. Eventually, all that was left of the angel were bones that were being eroded and turned into nothing but powder, flying through the wind.

Then all was silent.


	9. The King of Angels

Zelda awoke, groaning, her body twisting on the cavern ground as the Princess forced herself onto her back. Nausea overcame her, a sensation that was simply heightened once Zelda opened her eyes. The rock walls of the cave tilted slowly to and fro, dizzying her even more and leaving her no choice but to close her eyes once again to feel some slight comfort. To her left, Zelda could hear Link's voice, now a thundering boom instead of the soothing tenor she was so used to hearing.

"Zelda!" he said, anxiously hoping for an answer, "Are you all right?"

"Oh," moaned Zelda, "Not exactly."

"Well, you're talking so that's a good sign. Although when did you hit your head? There's a bit of blood in your hair which I assume is from your scalp."

The Princess spent a few moments recalling details before answering, "I was being carried upwards in a spiral, hands outward trying to hold on to grip the wall. Apparently the position I was in wasn't the best one, since my head smashed into a rock. That's all I can remember..."

"So, you don't remember anything after you took the hit?"

Secretly, Zelda wished that Link would cease to ask questions, as his words were being delivered at too fast a pace for Zelda. Nevertheless, the Princess responded, "Nothing. I don't even know how I made my way to the ground."

"Don't move Zelda," commanded Link as he attempted to soothe Zelda, "I'm going to take both my thumbs, place them on your eyelids, and open your eyes for a brief period of time. There's something I need to check in order to know how badly you're hurt."

Zelda's heavy lids made their way to the tops of her eyes, revealing the world to her once again and causing the same unpleasant feeling she had felt the first time. But, true to his promise, Link quickly removed his thumbs, satisfied at what he saw.

"Your pupils are both the same size, so I doubt you're hurt badly."

"What about my pupils?"

"If one was smaller than the other, you'd have a very high chance of being incapacitated for the rest of your life," the Hero calmly explained to Zelda.

Then came the voices, followed by the pounding of footsteps. From the sound, Link knew that a small troupe was making their way into the cave. However, the Hero was not alarmed, as he was already convinced as to who the newcomers were. The voices were familiar, and at this point amplified as the company approached, and closed in upon Link and Zelda. Closer, and closer, until...

"There they are!"

Lord Hur bounded forward so triumphantly, yet violently, that the Lord very nearly toppled over the edge of the precipice leading to the Hero and Princess. Fortunately, a hand had grasped the collar of his armour, preventing Lord Hur from a tragic fate. Ruto frowned at Lord Hur, and did not remove her hand until she was satisfied that the Lord would not perform any more daft actions. It was only then that the Zora Queen addressed Link and Zelda.

"What happened to the Princess? You know her father will not be pleased when she returns in that state."

"She caught her head on the rocks and was knocked unconscious for a bit. Zelda will recover quite quickly, though; no serious and permanent damage was done," recounted Link before inquiring, "How did you all arrive? Last I saw all Hyruleans remained at Haven, with the exception of Zelda and me."

"Well, we were aware of when you broke Luke's spell, Link. The angels are no longer imprisoned with those rings around their wings," replied Ruto with a smile.

During the discussion, Marius had also made an appearance. The angel's massive wings were now spread from tip to tip, blocking Link's view of any other angels or Hyruleans. As noble as he had seemed before, Marius's wings only helped to heighten the sense of awe that Link felt when looking upon the angel. Yet the worry and sadness had not evaporated from Marius's clear eyes, and it was clear to Link that something was not resolved on the Island of the Fallen.

"Link," began Marius, voice eager and sounding childlike and innocent, "That woman who sang the lullaby to you, where is she? It is her that I am seeking."

The regretful glance that Link shot Marius was the sole indication the angel needed. Grabbing Ruto by the waist, Marius sailed downwards toward Link and Zelda, allowing the Zora to make her way to the Princess. It was only then that Link dared to leave Zelda, and rejoined Marius at his side.

"I'm sorry," muttered the Hero.

"Please, don't be, Hero. You have defeated Luke, a feat no angel has been able to complete."

"It was Zelda's doing, in fact. I challenged Luke, but Zelda was the one who found his weakness."

"Then I praise the Princess of Hyrule, as well," continued Marius, still distracted and looking about, searching, "Although I did hope to find that woman. She means a great deal to me, Link."

The Hero's eyes widened and he raised his eyebrows. Link had assumed that the angel in the dungeon was important to the inhabitants of Haven. But, with Marius's personal statement, Link's sense of guilt doubled as he sought to grasp that he had failed to find the captive. Link bit his lip, and was about to utter a regretful apology of some sort to Marius when Lord Hur, always the most enthusiastic of the group, cried out, "Look there! There's something moving near the edge!"

Link and Marius followed Lord Hur's hand, finding that the Lord was pointing at the small chamber where Zelda had found the globe that had been Luke's life source. Before he could speak, Link felt Marius's hands around his frame, lifting him up into the air as the angel flew upwards. A few seconds later, they reached their destination.

It was the angel Link had seen. With the last of her strength, the angel had managed to pull herself outside of her dark prison. She had collapsed onto the ground, limbs splayed, her black and tattered robe still clinging onto her bony body. Head flat on the surface, the angel was breathing heavily, and it was clear to Link that she was on her last legs. In her hand, the angel still clutched the gleaming scepter, its golden form emitting glaring light as though it were the sun. Upon seeing her, Marius dove and made a hasty landing that startled Link. The Hero was immediately dropped as soon as Marius's feet made contact with the rocks. A flurry of feathers and a bump on his back, Link fell to the ground as Marius continued to drive forward.

By the time the Hero raised his head, Marius was cradling the angel in his arms, tears flowing from his face. The former captive had lifted her bony hand, and rested her wrinkly palm upon Marius's cheek. Her eyes were now alight with joy and a sense of wonder, never leaving Marius. She smiled, the tips of her dry lips rippling to the sides. The angel's torn wings were folded across her frail frame, a blanket for the inevitable sleep that would overtake her soon. Link dared not approach, leaving Marius and the mysterious angel to their own devices. Yet their words made their way to the Hero, loading his heart with emotion and sentiment as the two said their goodbyes.

"It has been so long since I last saw you," said the angel, gently stroking the tears on Marius's face, "You haven't changed; always as handsome as I envisioned you. I spent every day imagining what you would look like now, and how you were. And now, I finally see you after all these decades of waiting. I don't say imprisoned. Rather, I felt as though I were waiting for you to come to me again and hold out your arms to me, just as you did as a young boy so long ago."

"What has he done to you?" muttered Marius in a strained voice.

"Many things. But I held on to the scepter; I never had any intention of giving it to that monster. After all, one can only possess the scepter when the one who holds it declares when and to whom it shall be passed. That man was not, in any way, worthy of the Royal Scepter of the Angels."

"We've missed our Queen, I, more than any other."

"And I have missed my son," replied the Queen of Angels, her smile growing ever wider, "I was here when your father tried to save me and I heard his cries before he was killed. As you also know, grief is unbearable, but able to be conquered once you accept that there is life after the sadness. I bided my time to be able to help you do so. Sure, Luke did the most horrendous of things to me, but faith is an amazing, and fascinating, force. I sang the song you used to hear as an infant, just as a reminder. You do remember the lullaby, don't you?"

"Yes, but I assumed you were gone long before," confessed Marius, "No angel dared to face Luke, and the Goddesses told us of a Hero from Hyrule who would come and free you. But, I never believed their tale until the Zoras set foot upon the Island, followed by the Hero and Hyrule's Princess soon after."

"Ah, yes!" faintly exclaimed the Queen, "The Hero and Princess of Hyrule, where are they now?"

"The Princess is somewhat injured, mother. However, the Hero is here with us at this moment."

"Call him over, I beg you; I need to thank him."

It was then that Marius turned to Link. With a nod of the head, Marius beckoned Link toward his mother. Unsure of how to react, Link strode over to the Queen, and knelt, bowing his head as his knees met the ground below.

"Please!" interjected the Queen, chuckling as she witnessed Link's bow, "I should be the one bowing to you and to Princess Zelda. Without the both of you, I never would have been able to see my son."

Link remained speechless as the Queen continued, "You are here to find the Island Stone, aren't you? Be sure that Marius hands it to you soon in order that you may be on your way. I had a vision that Ganondorf has already obtained one of the Stones, so you must hurry. Help yourself to supplies that the City of Haven will give you in thanks for your deed. You are Hope, Link. The moment I saw you in the mirror, I had no doubt that the prophecy of the Goddesses would hold true. But no matter what prophecies or predictions you encounter, remember that the road ahead of you remains difficult, and full of obstacles. Keep your friends at your side, but keep an open eye on those who you are not familiar with as they are the ones whose motives you cannot easily predict. I leave you with those words, Link, and give the Princess Zelda my gratitude. I regret not having the chance to meet with her, but we can't expect all good things to fall into our laps. May she rule her kingdom well, but with the independence and thought that has made her so admirable."

"I will remember," was all Link could master.

"Marius," resumed the angel, "I leave you with the scepter."

"Mother, I'm not ready to lead," protested Marius.

"On the contrary, you have always been a prime candidate to be the King of Angels. You didn't expect to remain a Prince forever, did you?"

Choked with tears, Marius reached for his mother's hand. Both touched the scepter, before looking into each other's eyes for the last time.

"It is time," declared the Queen, "But it is not the end. Your father is waiting for me. Now, Marius, hold me, until I finally sleep."

With that, the Queen closed her eyes, her breathing faint. She remained in her son's arms for the remainder of her time in the world, happy, at last. They sat there, Link and Marius, both with eyes upon the former Queen, expecting each breath to be her last.

Eventually, their expectation was fulfilled.

Laboriously, Marius pulled himself to his feet, his mother's body still in his arms. The tears came, and the angel wept. Streaks of crystal appeared upon his handsome face as he mourned, and Link could only stand by, head hanging low. In the distance, the other angels were watching, observing with sorrow. For once, even Lord Hur knew when to be silent, and the entire cave echoed with the King of Angels' sobs.

* * *

"I promised you and my mother that I would give you the Stone."

Link examined the small diamond mass in his grasp, turning the Stone around in admiration of the plethora of colours that reflected upon each face. The Hero would always remember Haven, so deep did the city engrave her beauty into his memory. As the sun set upon the horizon, the Hyruleans were hard at work, loading provisions onto the row boats that would take them back to the ships waiting offshore. While they were not the ones who fought Luke, the soldiers were exhausted, and it was almost time for a good rest with their fellow friends aboard the ships. Once more, Link lifted his head to meet Marius's eyes. The aura of the tragic hero Marius possessed was now gone, replaced instead with that of a nobleman. There was a new austerity to the angel that rather impressed Link, so transformed was Marius.

"Thank you," said the Hero.

"No, you are the one I need to thank," replied Marius, kneeling down to Link's height, "Though I barely knew you, you have done so much for me and my people, and I hope that one day you will visit us once again."

"Your city is beautiful, and I hope for the same."

"Well, we will be in mourning for the next month or so, casting away our standard robes for those in black. She will be taken to the Eternal Fountain for last rites, sending her soul to the sky above."

"She will always be there," said Link, reassuring his new friend.

Appreciative of Link's efforts, Marius laid a hand upon the Hero's shoulder. "The Goddesses are also with you, remember that. And so is your Princess and the Hyruleans. I wish you luck, Link. And please, be careful."

In return, Link laid a hand on the King's shoulder, as well. "Thank you for your hospitality, Marius, and I will never forget the damage you dealt me during our first duel."

Marius laughed heartily at the mention of the now famous event. "It was my pleasure," he returned with a wink and a twinkle in his eye.

"Link! We're leaving right now! Unless you want us to fight Ganondorf alone then come right now!"

With one last glance at each other, the Hylian and the King of Angels separated. Link broke into a run, approaching the row boats that were now departing. A final dash and a bound, and Link landed in the nearest boat behind Ruto and Zelda, who was asleep. Lord Hur had been elected to row, and the Lord now looked at his companions with a dissatisfied air as he pulled at the oars. Beyond them, the sun was setting, signaling another night before a new day.

Cradling the Stone in his hands, Link thought of Midna, and where she would be now.


	10. Lord Hur's Torment

"We're nearly at the second Island now, Midna, how do you feel about that? Where do you think your friends are now?"

Midna was curled upon the ground inside her metal prison, cloak over her head in an effort to drown Reiza's taunts. The Twilight Princess, instead, provided herself with distractions, and at this present moment was examining her hands. Her once, elegant fingers and palms were now giving way to bone, as day by day she starved. However, Midna knew that Ganondorf would never allow her to die, as the Gerudo sorely needed her to fulfill his ultimate goals, whichever method he was planning to use. This provided a relief of a minimal sort to the Twili, as she waited and prayed that Link and Zelda were obtaining the other Island Stones.

"You know," continued Reiza, circling the cage as though she were a vulture distinguishing its prey, "You were beautiful when we first took you. But now? You're nothing but a hideous skeleton. If it were not for Ganondorf, I would have killed you long ago."

"That's fine with me. Killing seems to be one of the only things you have talent for," retorted Midna.

A shock shot through Midna's body, causing the Twilight Princess to shriek as Reiza's foot met her cage. After the damage was done, Midna thrust her head upward to meet Reiza directly in the eyes.

"Oh, don't you worry. When I get out of this cage, I will return the favour," hissed Midna.

"When you get out of this cage, it will be to serve Ganondorf. Behave yourself, and perhaps you will even share some of his power."

"And what will you be, his royal whore?"

"Queen, to be precise and respectable," answered Reiza, drawing a knife from her dress, "Come here, Midna, and let me show you something."

Midna sat up, but did not move. Reiza approached her cage and all of the sudden, the uncertainty of what Reiza would do frightened Midna. In consequence, Midna moved back in her cage, eyes wide, never leaving Reiza. A white hand then floated towards Midna, attempting to touch her chin. With a start, Midna pushed backwards, only to have the cage shock her once again and propel her forward. Losing no time, Reiza grabbed Midna's chin, and tilted the Twili's head.

"Did you really think I would kill you? The master needs you, and I'm sure you know that. I only wanted to give you a reminder of what will come if you continue to insult me!" explained Reiza with glee and a light voice.

Midna cried out as she felt a sting on her left cheek. On the ground once again, Midna placed a hand upon the stinging, and felt fresh blood. Reiza had, to Midna's disgust, lifted the slightly bloody knife and was now licking it clean, smiling at Midna all the while. The fact that eating fresh blood did not seem to bother Reiza sickened Midna, whose blood was coursing down the sides of her cheeks.

"You're insane," muttered Midna.

"Of course I am, only the insane can manage a mission such as this!" confirmed Reiza, carelessly tossing the knife to the side, "But, in the meantime, you be careful. When Ganondorf is in power, that is only a fraction of what I will be doing to you. I will hold my hand, as of now. But until Ganondorf conquers all, I will be fantasizing about each and every moment I will have you in my hands. It's remarkable all the things you can do to one body!"

"You're a sadistic monster," uttered Midna, "The type of monster Link never allows to win! You should all die, each and every person who is like you!"

"Midna, let me show you things from my perspective," said Reiza as she made her way to the deck stairs, "Without monsters like me, the world would be bland, boring! And you must admit, even Hyruleans are monsters."

"Compared to you, not at all!"

"Then, why do they have their own army? Midna, if they were the good and pure people you assume them to be, why would Hyruleans need an army? I know what you will say, you will say, defense! They need to protect themselves! But, the Hyruleans did horrific things to each other. Even my own actions pale to what the Zoras, the Gorons, the Hylians, and the Gerudos did to each other during the Civil War. So, you see, you accuse me of being a monster, but you can't see that even your own friends are monsters. I dare you, Midna, ask a Hylian about the torture the Zoras inflicted upon them, and you will be shocked to know the details. Skinning people alive, ripping them apart, burning...Have I done any of those things to you, Midna? Or when the people of the Castle Town turned against each other, tearing the life out of all their 'sorcerers'? Don't you understand that monsters are all around us and their minds are implanted into each and every one of us? Of course, some of us just tend to show this side of their mind more often than others. However, you, the Twilight Princess, never stopped to think that every person is capable of the most horrific things, never stopped to think that inside, we are all monsters!"

Reiza's foot was now upon the stair. For a final time, she turned to Midna, "Even Link. And you know this, because you have seen Dark Link. You know what he can do."

* * *

A firm hand grasped Link and pulled him onto the ship. Looking up, Link smiled at a content captain Morus, whose light brown freckles were stretched in a grin. "The ship was a little boring not having you here, Link!"

"That's something to hear! Although, Morus, I'm sorry to say that even without you I had quite an eventful two days!"

The two Hylians chuckled and walked away, purposely leaving Lord Hur to disembark from the boat on his own. Around them, the soldiers were stripping themselves of their armour, opting for their light shirts and trousers in the summer heat. A group of them had carried Zelda to her own room, still dizzy, yet somewhat more alert than before. Anchors were being raised, and sails were prepared and set to catch the wind. Quickly, Morus led Link to the main cabin as a meeting had been called to decide the Hyruleans' next destination.

"Didn't take you too long to get the Stone, huh?" exclaimed Morus.

"Well, we're on time constraints, so I thought I'd make it quick. And you'd be surprised to know but Zelda did a good deal of the work," replied Link.

"I'll warn you ahead of time that the King isn't too pleased," continued Morus, "Seems you can never impress the old man."

"You get used to it," Link bluntly remarked, "It doesn't take much to make him mad."

Ruto held the door for the two Hylians, courteously allowing them to enter before her into the cabin. Smiles and a friendly atmosphere greeted Link as the nobles of Hyrule saluted the Hero. Word of Link and Zelda's victory had spread like wildfire through the entire Hyrulean fleet, even before Link had set foot upon the ship. Proudly, Morus stood by his friend, leading Link to an empty chair near the King's side. The monarch regarded Link with a gaze that confused the Hero, leaving him to wonder whether or not the King would, once again, deliver a sermon surrounding the safety of his daughter. To his surprise, the King then broke into a smile, and leaned toward Link.

"Though I did not delight in the idea that my daughter escaped the ship to fight, I will say that you did quite admirably in keeping her safe," whispered the King.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, although without Zelda I never would have obtained the Stone," replied Link, humbly yet secretly relishing in the King's praise.

Eyes alight, the King then turned to the rest of the council. Sensing that His Majesty was to begin, all Hyruleans fell silent in order to not miss one word from the King.

"I will begin by stating that today has been a successful day, indeed, for the people of Hyrule," proclaimed the King, accompanied by approving nods from around the table, "Link, please allow those present to see the Stone."

Ever obedient, Link extracted the diamond from a pouch and laid it upon the table. There was a sudden, excited flurry of movement as every Hyrulean fought to place themselves near the Stone. The diamond illuminated the entire cabin, sending streaks of rainbow shooting to the darkest corners of the space, where even fire couldn't reach. Murmuring, all Hyrulean nobles were completely taken by the beauty of the Stone, the spell only broken once the King began to speak.

"While we salute Link for his accomplishment, we must also be aware that even more obstacles lay ahead of us. That is why we are all here to decide the next course of action together. Captain Morus spent much of his time with me and my closest advisors to determine where the next destination should be. It is he who will now explain the plan we have in mind."

Ecstatic to finally be allowed to speak in front of the council, Morus lost no time in bounding forward and spreading out the edges of a map onto the table. With enthusiasm and confidence, the captain pointed to a nearby Island with his finger.

"We assume that Ganondorf has left the Island of Promethea. Of course, from there he has multiple Islands he can conquer. Based on the amount of time left, we theorize that Ganondorf will, in fact, visit the Island of Promise as it is the shortest distance from Promethea. In that case, if he is to take the Island of Promise, our best course of action would be to anchor at the Island of Flowers. It may not be the shortest distance from here, however it is short enough for us not to lose time. In addition to that, this would take us out of Ganondorf's reach as we want the Hyrulean fleet to remain as intact as it possibly can until we reach the Glass Palace. The main determinant in our plan was, obviously, evading any contact whatsoever with Ganondorf. If there are any inquiries about what I have just said, please feel free to-"

A howl of terror erupted from a place on the table, startling the entire congregation. Link quickly collected himself and located the source of the cry. Lord Hur had fallen out of his chair and was on the ground, face pale and molded into an expression of horror. He was upon his hands, using them to scramble towards the door, though he was so terrified the Lord could not reach and turn the knob. Following his eyes, all Hyruleans were puzzled, as Lord Hur was staring into the air at nothing. It was not long before Lord Hur brought his legs to his chest, trembling and oscillating his body as he brought his hands to his ears.

"No! Why am I doing this?" he shrieked in terror.

Link was immediately by Lord Hur's side, "What did you do?"

"He's drowning," continued Lord Hur, not seeming to notice the Hero's presence, "Why won't you let go he didn't do anything wrong!"

"Who is drowning?" asked Link, taking Lord Hur by the arms and shaking him, "Lord Hur, you need to tell me what's wrong!"

Lord Hur had begun to sob, as an invisible heart-wrenching scene played in front of his eyes, "He has a family, I've seen them! Three children, a good wife, just let him go you played him and deceived him! And now you've decided to kill him! You're mad! Insane! You have no heart at all! Do you know what you've done to him and his family?"

"Look at me!" Link was yelling now, "Stop shaking around and look at me!"

Before the members of the council could blink, Lord Hur was thrashing upon the ground, with Link holding him as he sought to control the Lord. Wailing, Lord Hur continued to yell and sob in such a way that suggested he no longer had any command of his body. Forcefully, Link flipped Lord Hur onto his stomach, and absorbed each kick and blow as he lifted Lord Hur from the ground. Slammed into a wall, Link hollered at the nearest guard, "Open the door! Now!"

Alarmed, the guard obeyed, and soon Link was dragging Lord Hur out into the open.

"You will be punished! No man deserves to be treated that way! Murder! Murder! Why won't anyone listen? Can't anyone hear? Why will no one help him?"

All activity had halted as every soldier watched Lord Hur and Link. Struggling, Link pulled Lord Hur to the nearest latch door that led to the soldiers' barracks in the belly of the ship. Every second, the Lord was growing gradually difficult to hold, leaving Link shocked at how despair could allow one to muster so much physical strength. Stair by stair, Link fought. Eventually, Lord Hur was not moving, and not allowing Link to drag him any more. Left with no choice, Link let his fist fall, his right arm still pulling Lord Hur.

The commotion attracted a whole group of spectators, as the soldiers were alerted to the brawl. They all stood as still as trees, unbelieving. None had ever imagined Lord Hur to be insane. Once Link touched his foot to the hard wood of the barrack floor, the Hero turned and commanded that the soldiers "Move away!" to allow him some room to maneuver. Still in a state of panic, Lord Hur bludgeoned Link with his fists, frightening all but the Hero, who was taking the Lord to his own space in the army barracks. Throwing the curtains swiftly aside, Link yanked Lord Hur towards him, his torso pressing against the Lord's spine. The two Hylians stumbled about, one in hysterics, the other struggling before Link managed to slam Lord Hur against the makeshift bed upon the floor. Losing no time, Link sat upon Lord Hur's tail-bone and took hold of his arms. Lord Hur cried out in pain as the Hero wrenched both his arms backwards to the center of the Lord's back. Forcing Lord Hur down, Link used all his might to subdue one of Hyrule's nobles, waiting for the Lord to calm as he thrashed and kicked about.

Almost as suddenly as his fit had begun, Lord Hur's breathing slowed. Slacking his grip, Link moved the Lord's hands lower down his back to ease the pain. Waiting a few more moments, Link then dismounted from Lord Hur, and observed as the latter returned to his normal self. Cold sweat decked Lord Hur's forehead as he woke from the nightmare that had taken hold of him. With confusion, he looked at Link, who was panting, slightly fatigued.

"Where am I?" whispered Lord Hur, not moving.

"My space in the barracks," answered Link, "You had a fit of some kind and I dragged you here so you wouldn't harm anyone."

Ashamed, Lord Hur burrowed his face into Link's pillow, "Did I really?"

"If you normally fight the way you did just now, I think I'll recommend sending you to defeat Ganondorf, instead," mused Link.

Straightening, Lord Hur met Link's eyes, his face serious. "It was another vision."

"Vision?" exclaimed Link.

Lord Hur nodded, then continued, quietly so no one could hear, "I've been having them since my father died, though I don't know why."

"So this isn't the first time this has happened."

"No, no. But, I used to be able to keep myself sane when they came. I identified the signs: my heart quickens, and there is a pounding in my head. I taught myself how to breathe when I felt a vision forming. However, recently I haven't been able to do that, and the visions have gotten worse."

"As in more vivid?"

"More vivid, deadlier, more lethal, more bloody...I can't do anything once it happens, anymore."

Lord Hur was now sitting, wiping the sweat away with an arm. Cautiously, Link decided to question Lord Hur, "What do you see?"

At this, Lord Hur shifted uneasily before replying, "Horrible things. Every time, I have seen someone killed, murdered in front of my eyes. I try to stop it, but I can't...Not at all. All that's left to do is to watch the victims die. Just now, I saw a man being drowned, his head plunged into the banks of a river. Link, he has three children who need him, and his business was just brought down and he needed a way to support his family. But that's all a dream, now, he's dead. The life snuffed out of him as the water went into his lungs."

"Who murdered him?"

"Link, that's the worst of it all. I was the one who did it. My hands are the bloodied ones, yet I'm the one crying for someone to save them."


	11. An Attack, and a Thorough Introduction

"The Island of Promise, huh? Well, unless they promise to hand over that Stone, I don't really want to know the meaning behind the name."  
"Yeah, we've been sailing for days, and all for this?"

The two Stalfos marched on in rank, but hardly paid any attention to their surroundings. Ganondorf led the group, striding with confidence, Reiza at his side. Yet the once threatening and towering figure of Ganondorf no longer had the same effect upon the Stalfos, and the commander now seemed to blend with the rest of the scenery, a moving shadow among the trees. The fact that the Gerudo had not addressed them in hours also added to his invisibility, reducing his normally commanding presence. Though not one complaint was issued around the subject, as the troops had grown to be so accustomed to the power and rage emanating from Ganondorf that the spell had come faced with as much welcome as a ray of sunshine through stormy skies. Upon arriving, the Lord had set his eyes upon a village not far from the shore, embedded in a throng of forest. Since then, a deafening silence had set itself upon his army, save the two Stalfos, now engaged in conversation.

"Where do you think the Hero is now?"

"Wherever he is, I hope we don't meet him. You saw what he did to the troops at Hyrule Castle Town! I'd much rather face Ganondorf than face him."

The first Stalfo jabbed a fist into his comrade, bringing his voice down to a whisper, "Don't say that! If the Lord hears you you're dead, Hero or no Hero!"

At that instant, Ganondorf halted, and the two Stalfos stiffened. As soon as Ganondorf turned to his troops, their knees began to shake in fear. Had Ganondorf heard them? No doubt he must have, or the Gerudo wouldn't have stopped in the middle of the forest. Ganondorf's piercing eyes scanned the group, and both Stalfos had to fight the urge to flee when the Gerudo laid his gaze upon them. From what they observed, Ganondorf seemed to spend more time staring at them than at anyone else, and that notion frightened them.

To their surprise, the tension was very quickly broken. With a firm hand, Ganondorf gestured to a section of his troops, and indicated to his right. They were at the town, and it was time to attack. As the first contingent ran into the distance, Ganondorf lost no time and motioned for a second to travel in the opposite direction. With a final nod directed at Reiza, Ganondorf sent the beauty off to do whatever she pleased, as only Reiza had free reign over Ganondorf.

"We wait for their signal," the Gerudo threw behind his shoulder, "Hide among the trees, and wait for my command."

* * *

Two weeks rest had done Zelda some good, and the Princess found that she could again meander around deck without her environment spinning about her head. And her recovery was timely, it seemed, as a green and lush patch of land rose from the sea as the Hyrulean fleet approached. Even from afar, it was clear that the Island of Flowers was an appropriate name for the second Island on Zelda's journey. Bursts of crimson, magenta, and cerulean blue were visible despite the miles of ocean that separated Zelda and the Island, small dots of colour blotting the entire setting. The Princess was not alone in her awe, as many soldiers had ceased to perform their duties, and were now gesturing and conversing about the Island in wonder. They pulled their friends from the barracks, they dropped their ale and rum, all to absorb the sight of the beautiful Island.

"Richer than any tapestry I've ever seen."

Zelda turned to face Link, who had stealthily and silently settled by her side. The Hero had dressed in a dark blue tunic, abandoning the green that was so associated with him. In a matter of personal choice, he had also abandoned the cap that used to sit upon his head, leaving his blond locks exposed to the sun.

"Gossip travels fast," Zelda remarked suddenly.

"Pardon me?" returned Link.

"I know about Lord Hur, the nurses told me this morning once I woke. It's strange, I've been thinking about what happened to him ever since."

"I have as well, but I doubt I'll be dwelling on that soon; In my opinion there are more important matters than Lord Hur's visions."

"I wouldn't completely lock them away, though," said Zelda, "There's something that isn't right about what he's seeing, and I'm sure his visions are a link to something or someone."

"You think too much at times," replied Link, eyes fixed on the horizon.

"You think too less. I can list off almost all the times when you've accused me of using too much thought, but in the end my thoughts just happened to save the both of us. For our sake, don't throw those memories away; Your pride hasn't necessarily helped us in any way."

"The type of pride you possess doesn't help us either."

"Link, I don't want to argue. All I want to tell you is that you shouldn't think Lord Hur's visions are completely arbitrary. Everything has a point to it, but you don't seem to notice that."

"I don't have time to notice every small detail, Zelda, and I would appreciate it if you could accept how I go about doing things."

"I do appreciate what you do, but sometimes I wish you would stop and reflect. For instance, I wish you would stop and reflect on how my accusations of you do not occur often, but merely on occasion."

"Perhaps you should also stop and reflect on how the person who are trying to defeat is Ganondorf, therefore it would be sensible to concentrate our efforts and your thoughts on him."

"Link, visions like those of Lord Hur's do not just happen! With what is happening now, nothing is a coincidence."

"So now Ganondorf has pulled out a magical staff and waved it around? Ganondorf doesn't know magic unless it's inscribed somewhere, and even then it depends on how literate he is."

"Don't mock me, Link, you don't know much about magic."

"And you do? If you know all about it, why can't you wave your hands and stop Ganondorf?"

"Oh!"

Link and Zelda had become a spectacle, as their bantering had attracted the attention of most of those aboard their ship. Zelda turned to walk away, but Link immediately gripped her arm.

"I wasn't done," he firmly insisted.

"I don't think there's much I need to hear," retorted Zelda.

"All I did was make one slight comment and you become angry? Why, Zelda?"

"My response wasn't particularly thorn-like, therefore why did you start the argument?"

"Questions need responses."

"Did you, or did you not once say 'the lady is always first'?"

"Zelda, don't be like that."

"Did you, or did you not?"

"Now you're relying on weak, unfair remarks."

"Based on what your attitude, I don't feel as though I need to attempt to even think of sharp rebuttals. It's useless, in my opinion, a waste of time."

"My attitude. Princess, how do you think you're acting right now?"

"If I seem a bit tart, it's only in response to you."

"I've fought beasts and opponents aplenty, so don't you go about assuming you're my most difficult opponent."

"I can go about this all day, that doesn't bother me."

"Exactly what I was saying before, Pride. Maybe Vanity plays a part as well; You've always been too stubborn for your own good."

"If I weren't stubborn, I wouldn't be traveling with you, and we wouldn't have defeated half the enemies we have!"

"Not true! I can take all of them on just fine!"

"Now you're the one on a high horse."

"At least I'm aware of when I need to dismount from it!"

"Princess Zelda!" interrupted Ruto, cutting in between the Hero and the Princess, "You better get dressed, we will anchor in an hour or two!"

With one last hostile glance at Link, Zelda stomped off, hands balled into fists. Immediately, the soldiers returned to their work, sensing that there was no longer any excitement to be had from the pair. Link aggressively turned away and leaned upon the prow of the ship, boring holes into the Island at which he gazed. Ruto allowed the Hero's irritation to simmer before she dared approach him. Together, they stood, not speaking, examining the horizon.

"Always the same words, over and over again," remarked Ruto.

"Always her fault, over and over again," countered Link.

"No, it isn't her fault. I would actually put the blame on young love," absentmindedly proposed Ruto.

"Why do you say that?" asked Link, quickly softening.

"Captain Morus and I tend to share observations with one another when we have the time."

Link groaned and buried his face in his tough hands, leaving Ruto with a rear view of his palms. Gently, Ruto touched Link's hands and drew them downwards, revealing the Hero's downcast look.

"Don't listen to others when they tell you to hide love, Link. I've noticed that that is impossible to do, and people are bound to notice at one time or another. You might as well not try."

"What makes you think that?"

Ruto brushed the question aside, "You'd also do best to not argue about the same things repetitively, as well; It's as though we're all watching the same play again and again. And just so you know, the King wants you to pick the contingent you want to travel with you on the Stone mission. Of course, I have a feeling we will all disembark, but select the handful of soldiers you would rather have with you in case you need more bodies."

Link gave the matter some thought, counting his fingers as he determined who and how many soldiers to bring. Ruto patiently awaited the Hero's answer.

"Can you swim to the other boats and find me five Gorons, three of the Moledos, five Gerudos, and five of your finest Zoras?" Link asked of Ruto.

"Why only three Moledos?"

"Their skill lies with horses, which we don't have since we don't need horses on Islands."

"Fine. And who else?"

"I will take you and Morus, as well as a Captain Fos who should be on the mainly Zora ship. I'll make the four of us the main commanders, and we can even see if Daron of the Gorons can come with us as well; Last I heard he sustained some injuries on deck, so see if he is fit."

"You best bring Lord Hur, as well," advised Ruto.

Link frowned in disagreement and faced Ruto, "Why would I do that?"

"It's self-explanatory: Lord Hur is the King's favourite in spite of the fact that he's a brainless twit," declared the Zora Queen, "And considering how the two are, technically, betrothed, you would do the King an immense favour."

Irritation, again, crept into the Hero, and a slight bit of frustration as well at the mention of the betrothal. Nevertheless, Link agreed with Ruto, "Then Lord Hur it is."

"Good," confirmed Ruto, looking down at the water below and finding a place to dive. As she readied herself to enter the pristine water, Ruto delivered one last bit of advice to the Hero.

"I also suggest bringing Princess Zelda with you."

"And why is that?" inquired Link, almost growling the sentence.

"You and I know that even if she isn't picked, she will follow no matter what. The Princess is stubborn, you said so as well."

Link watched as Ruto plunged into the water, her lithe body hardly making a splash, leaving ripples to expand from an epicenter. He could make out the Zora's form as she swam off, gracefully contorting and twisting, demonstrating the dexterity for swimming the Zoras possessed. Once Ruto had reached the ship next to his, Link navigated his way about the deck, seeking Captain Morus. Though there was a significant amount of business being conducted on deck to prepare for the anchor, Link found that finding Morus was not, in the least bit, difficult. The Captain had a very distinct, young, and boisterous voice, that enabled him to be heard no matter where he stood upon the ship. This time was no different, as Morus towered over two of his soldiers, reprimanding them for some comment or other that was, most likely, unacceptable.

The young captain had always believed in hard work and meritocracy, most likely due to the circumstances he faced as a youth. In fact, most soldiers of the army had found Morus's ascent to captain surprising, yet impressive in many ways. The middle of three children, the captain had lived most of his life upon the family farm just outside the walls of Hyrule Castle Town. Most residents of Hyrule Castle Town were familiar with Morus from when he was a boy, as he was the child who was in charge of selling the crops in the Town center. Even then, many Hylians readily agreed that Morus's place was not with the family farm, but rather with what everyone named "a higher calling". The boy demonstrated a cleverness that prejudice never associates with a farmer, and a vivacity that made him irresistible to the Town folk. It was also clear to everyone that of all three children in the family, Morus was most favoured by his father, as the boy and man looked to be inseparable.

The Hylian military discovered Morus when the latter was the age of twelve on a day that would mark the beginning to his career in combat. Fate played her hand one Sunday afternoon when a band of thieves overturned a cart belonging to a woman, and a group of Hylian troops were called upon to stop the burglars. Upon arriving, the soldiers had found the boy, wooden rod in hand, fending off the thieves. Evidently, he was overpowered at the time due to his lack of combat training, yet the soldiers were quick to lead Morus to their commander, and eager to narrate what they had just seen. An offer was then made to the father, who, though unwilling, permitted his son to join the Hylian army as he had also observed that farm life was not suitable for Morus.

And so the boy entered the army, where he displayed a tremendous talent for the sword and hand-to-hand combat. The Townspeople watched fondly as Morus grew into adolescence, during which he developed the fine voice that was, as mentioned before, distinctive, and so unique in its melodic intonations. He very quickly lost the farm boy accent he once had, as well as the rough appearance of a laboring peasant. But what shocked the people of the Castle Town the most was how Morus managed to preserve the purity and innocence for which he was so famed while integrating himself in the army. Never once had anyone seen the captain enter a brothel, nor had they seen him drink in an ale house, compared to the company that surrounded him. He was boyish, but never out of control. And never once had he ever been in love.

Yet the extent of his skill and bravery had never been tested until Twilight descended upon Hyrule. As the shadow beasts neared the doors, to everyone's horror the young man charged the beasts, yelling for Princess Zelda to flee as he singly fought off the beasts. When Morus could no longer be seen, the Knights believed that he had, indeed, perished, until Twilight was lifted and they found him, injured, but breathing. For his bravery and adherence to duty, Morus was quickly promoted to the role of Captain, an impressive feat for until then, mostly those of noble birth could become a high-ranked soldier. What's more, Morus was only fresh out of adolescence, making him the youngest Captain ever to be named in Hyrule. With humility, Morus had accepted the post, and now found himself in the middle of one of the most eventful adventures in history.

"Getting the Stones are more important than your stomach!" Morus was hollering now, "If you don't like the food, then get off the ship!"

"Morus!"

The captain turned to face Link, "Aye!"

"You're part of the company I'll be taking if we need to run over the Island. Pick five soldiers and let me know who they are!"

"Yes, sir!" exclaimed Morus with a boyish grin, "Anything for Hyrule!"

"We anchor in about an hour or so, so you better choose fast!"

Morus nodded, and strutted off to the barracks. Satisfied with the captain's response, Link faced the cabins on deck, only to meet Zelda's eyes. Throwing each other a glacial glare, the Hero and the Princess turned away from one another, walking off in opposite directions.


	12. The Arrival into Petalo Land

Curious onlookers had gathered to observe the Hyrulean fleet as the latter approached the shore. The massive wooden structures had appeared only hours prior moving towards them, though it was clear that whoever was in charge of the fleet did not intend to attack the inhabitants of the Island of Flowers. Decked in the finest of attire, the Petalo people examined the newcomers as they began to unload. Whoever the travelers were, many resembled them, pointed ears and height aside. Yet others were more curious, with forms that resembled fish and rocks, and others were with dark skin and flaming red hair. Clearly, they were an army on the move, though from where and to where was unknown. Just as perplexed, the foreigners looked back at them, and so continued the observation until a man in a blue tunic disembarked, catching the full attention of everyone at the dock. He was as handsome as a prince, though how he was dressed betrayed the fact that he was no noble. Perhaps the most striking feature of the man was his eyes, a blue that could only be matched by the sky above. The man looked up to the ship, and seemed to beckon to someone with his arm. The Petalos followed with their eyes, and noted that a second man was ready to jump from the deck. With hardly a sound, the leaner, taller man landed next to the blue-eyed stranger, a smile gracing his lips as he observed his surroundings with awe. A slight burn had formed upon the upper portion of his cheeks, the reddish skin dotted with brown freckles that gave the man an almost childish appearance. Upon noticing that the Petalos were examining him, the second man raised a hand and waved happily to the crowd, compared to the first who stood there, austere, and unmoving.

"They are definitely captains! What fine boys!" exclaimed one lady.

"What race are they?" added a man, eagerly elbowing his neighbour, "They look a little like us, but more refined!"

"At least some of them do. Look at the one there, with the fins for ears!"

"Georgia, I insist we approach them! We must find out where they are from!"

"Will, it isn't polite to do so! You can't just approach foreigners and expect them to react normally to us! If we're going to greet them, we must be civil. Start with a hello!"

"Oh, all right, then! If you insist. Now, let's do what you said, and be polite, smile, and greet them."

"But Will, let's start the conversation with the brown-haired boy. The golden-haired one seems a little...hostile..."

Light on their feet, the couple made their way to the freckled man, with Georgia pulling her rose gown along, and Will ensuring that his hat was well-fastened to his head. The men were speaking to one another, so cautiously, Will pulled gently upon the boy's sleeve, catching his attention. The captain quickly turned to the couple, and it was soon clear that the introduction would occur and progress much more smoothly than they had reckoned.

"Hello, there!" the captain bellowed, "What have we here?"

"Well, sir!" began Georgia and Will simultaneously, though they later glanced at each other and Georgia allowed Will to continue, "We were just wondering: from where do you come?"

"Hyrule," answered the captain, holding out his right hand, "Captain Morus is my name."

Will and Georgia threw another look at one another, then both fought to take the captain's hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Captain! Now, please tell me: what race are you?"

"We are known as Hylians, sir. Link and I are both examples of them, and you'll be able to see our Princess and our King as well!"

"Hylians? We've never had Hylians arrive at our Island!" exclaimed Georgia, excitedly.

"And may I ask who you are?"

"Will and Georgia Turnbott of the Petalos," declared both husband and wife at the same time.

"Morus, we need to bring the supplies down," reminded Link morosely before walking off.

The Petalo couple found it slightly odd how opposite the two men were, and Morus noticed their reaction to Link's curt demand. Bending down, the captain whispered in their ear, "Bad day for him; Got into a fight with the woman he's in love with."

"Oh!" responded Georgia, looking more downcast, "That's terrible! But are they still together?"

"Well," hesitated Morus, "They aren't together, but they ought to be."

"Morus! Did you hear what I said?" hollered Link from not too far away.

Captain Morus winked at the couple, charming his way into their hearts. With a telling indication to her husband, Georgia watched as Will made the offer they had both been waiting to introduce to the Hyruleans.

"Do you all need a place to stay? You see, we keep an inn on the Island, and many others do as well!"

"Huh," considered Morus, a gleeful smile still remaining upon his lips, "That doesn't sound too shabby. I'll let the King know at once! And I must thank you for your generosity."

"Do take your time!" insisted Georgia, "Don't rush!"

The couple watched the young captain mount the ladder to the ship, then returned to speaking to one another.

"Mighty handsome boy, in every single way!" declared Georgia, "We'll have to keep him away from our daughters or they'll rip each other to shreds fighting over him!"

"Oh, posh, Georgia! Do you honestly think he'd be interested in one of our girls?"

"Well, if it ends that way, I certainly wouldn't mind!" finished Georgia, curtly and happily.

* * *

"Why are we not being carted to the palace? What is it that they mean by 'our King is preparing for your arrival'?"

The King of Hyrule was growing impatient, and was not satisfied in having to rest in an inn. While the Petalos had put their best foot forward, they came up short in terms of meeting the King's expectations. Beside him, Zelda sat in silence, eyes upon the Hero who was leading the troops with Captain Morus at his side. His Majesty had been greatly affected upon witnessing his daughter storming into the cabin after a very undesirable interaction with Link, yet the King knew from her gaze that Zelda had, largely, forgiven the Hero. Though the King did value the friendship between his daughter and Link, he had to confess that in reality, he would have preferred if the two had stayed enemies beyond the conflict. A betrothal with Lord Hur was in place, and the Hero was an obstacle that threatened to break the alliance.

"Chin up, now!" Morus was telling Link, hoping to lift the latter's morale, "Don't want to seem so gloomy walking into such a beautiful place."

In respect to the last portion of Morus's demand, Link had to admit that the captain was correct. The village of the Petalos was very quaint, with tidy little cottages lining the streets. Yet what was most impressive were the gardens the Petalos tended, as every assortment of flower that ever existed seemed to reside in the flowerbeds. Link had never seen a village as alive of flora as that of the Petalos', and the sensation of wandering in a never-ending garden was a novelty for the Hero. The greenest vines clung to the walls of the cottages, winding round and round as they grew upwards, boasting some foreign, pink flowers that had never before been seen in Hyrule. However, the most impressive of all were the roses. From the lightest yellow to the darkest of reds, the Hyruleans marveled at the richness and saturation demonstrated by the fragile petals. Healthy and treacherous thorns took their places around the stems of the roses, guarding the beauties from any beasts that may be lurking in their environment.

"I have never seen anything of the like!" remarked the King, leaning from his wagon to observe the flowers, "If it were possible I would ask if we could take a few of these exquisite flowers back to Hyrule with us."

"There they are!" Georgia had appeared at the door of the family inn, "Please! Your Majesty, do come in! We have prepared a very spacious and well-situated chamber especially for you! And your daughter will be next to you in a chamber very much the same."

"Thank you," said Zelda, "We appreciate everything you have done for us so far."

"Yes, but, tell me: when will we see your king?" inquired His Majesty.

"As the response has been, the king is preparing for your arrival. He is going to great lengths to ensure that you, his guests, are satisfied," promptly replied a Petalo soldier, who was stationed to follow the Hyrulean contingent at all times.

"In the meantime, please put down your bags and sleep in here! The rest of the soldiers will be distributed among our other inns, I have contacted the other inn keepers in order to do this!" continued Georgia, very cheery, "Please, don't be timid, do come in!"

An excited chatter followed as the exhausted Hyrulean soldiers entered the inns, laughing and enthusiastically pointing to their surroundings. Through the commotion, Link found it polite to reach a hand out to Zelda, who was clambering down from the wagon with some difficulty. The Princess reached for the Hero's hand, but looked up just as she was about to accept the offer. Almost immediately, Zelda clenched her jaw and straightened up, refusing to look Link in the eye, and proceeded to quickly remove herself from the wagon, albeit clumsily. Offended, Link crossed his arms and returned to Morus's side, vastly discontent at the treatment he had just been administered. Further irritation arose when Link glanced at Morus, who chuckled at the sight. The captain opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't," firmly warned Link, before the captain could even utter a syllable.

"I wasn't going to say anything, nothing at all," replied Morus, always with a grin.

"You boys, come on inside!" urged Georgia, "Will's got a whole meal ready for your part of the army! A Petalo specialty, easy to make!"

* * *

"What do you figure we'll need to do in order to obtain the Stone?" asked Lord Hur.

The captains and other important Hyrulean figures had gathered in the King's chamber to discuss matters of utmost priority. Lord Hur was settled upon a small bed, addressing the room with the most nonsensical of questions, as per usual. Due to his position, Lord Hur did not notice that Link had, rudely, rolled his eyes at each of his comments. The Hero was leaning against the small door that marked the entrance to the King's chamber, Morus by his side. Bored with the absence of motive in the meeting, the captain was fiddling with the hilt of his sword, admiring the metal and stones that decorated his blade. Only the King and the elder members of the council, in addition to Lord Hur, were trying to find empty answers to nonexistent questions.

"I'm simply asking because Link had to fight a dark angel prior to this, but I can't see if the Petalos are cursed," continued Lord Hur.

"You can't see if the Petalos are cursed because they aren't cursed," interjected Zelda, slightly bitter, "There are no hints of magic on the Island."

"But, Princess!" protested Lord Hur, "How could you know?"

At that there was a groan from Link's part that was heard by the council. Heads snapped to look at the Hero, while the latter stood, slightly embarrassed. Yet Link figured that he should say something, at least, now that the attention was no longer upon Lord Hur.

"She knows, because she possesses magic of her own kind, Lord Hur," replied Link nonchalantly, "Or have you forgotten that about your betrothed? I wouldn't, personally, especially if I will be wedding her in the future."

"Oh, I apologize," coldly replied Lord Hur, "But there is no room for jealousy in here."

Link pushed himself off from the door, hurt pride in his eyes, a snarl upon his lips. Almost as immediately as he had prepared himself for a fight, Link felt a hand slam upon his mouth, and an arm across his stomach. Whoever held him then turned him round, and, pushing and shoving, managed to both open the door and dispel Link into the inn corridor. The door closed behind him, Link turned to face Morus, the one who had prodded Link out of the chamber. He had placed his hands firmly upon Link's shoulders, and looked the Hero straight in the eyes.

"What was that?" challenged Link.

"You were about to say something stupid that you couldn't afford to say. I knew it, and I saved you," calmly explained Morus.

"Did you hear what he said to me?" fumed Link.

"I did, as a matter of fact," confirmed Morus, "But what you were about to deliver was no better and would have disappointed more than Lord Hur. Remember, Link: you're the Hero, but not a noble."

"What he said was humiliating," retorted Link, breaking his gaze.

"And also true," reasoned Morus.

At the remark, Link roughly thrust Morus away from him, angry. Though he did not shout, Link decided to face the captain.

"What would you know about that?"

"More than you think I do," responded the captain with no harsh feelings, "You can't assume that all because I used to be a farm boy that I don't understand anything."

"You haven't even felt love, how would you know?" growled Link.

"I observe, I learn."

"And that's enough?"

"Link," sighed Morus who now felt uneasy about the whole situation, "I don't want to argue with you. I was only trying to help. There are battles that can be abandoned, and you need to learn that not all wars are worth fighting."

"But I speak when I need to. Someone needs to give a voice to what we think, Morus, and for some reason you don't seem to want to do that."

"Link," began Morus, a slightly despaired expression upon his face.

"You don't understand! Not at all! I'll negotiate with you, and let's come to a deal: I will watch my tact, and you will not be so averse to conflict in general. How is that?"

Morus bit his lip, flicking his eyes side to side before deciding to saunter down the length of the corridor. Back turned to Link, he addressed the Hero.

"Then go back in there, Link, and do what you will. Say whatever you suppose needs to be said. While you do that, I'll be downstairs, meet me any time you want to."

Link stood and watched his friend reach the stairwell. Though he did not concur with Morus while the captain spoke to him, Link could not deny that the captain's words were entirely beneficial and well-intentioned. Hand upon the door, Link silently made a promise to Morus that, for once, he would hold his tongue, and only move his lips when it mattered most.


	13. A Much too Brief Meeting

Amazing how easily misinterpreted good intentions could be. Settling into a chair, Morus signaled a nearby lady to attend to him. Intrigued by yet another Hylian, the Petalo girl quickly appeared by his side, a large smile beaming from her round face.

"Ale and rum, if you don't mind," ordered Morus.

"Are you sure?" teased the girl, "Have you had both often?"

"Ale, yes, but not too many times in the past," replied the captain.

Swishing her blue gown back and forth with her hips, the Petalo girl continued in her attempt to charm the visitor, "Can I advise you to only sip from the ale, then? The last I'd like to see from a man like you is a prolonged rest in bed accompanied by aches, pains, and a stunted memory."

"Though if the part of my memory that is preserved involves you, I wouldn't mind one bit."

Charmed, the girl blushed and twirled her red hair, "Don't let Georgia or Will catch you saying that, love. They don't like it when...things happen in their inn."

Hearing that, Morus laughed heartily before returning his attentions to the young girl. "I'm actually waiting for a friend," he replied, "The rum is for him."

"You know what he orders?" inquired the girl, coquettishly.

"Not usually. But he'll need the rum, this time," declared Morus, leaning backwards, relaxed.

"Oh?"

"He made a comment during a meeting that could cost him dearly in terms of respect."

"What a great friend, you are."

"Well, I try my best to be the best friend I possibly can be."

The girl now leaned towards Morus, lowering her voice to a whisper, "And as a lover?"

Morus was stunned by the last comment; he had not expected the girl to be so up-front and blunt about the whole situation. Yet, he did not show his surprise, and replied very courteously, and truthfully, to the girl's question, "I have only been a lover once, and there wasn't much to be found."

Disappointed, the girl straightened, hands on her hips, "Why is that? A fine man like you surely garners some interest."

"I never find quite what I'm looking for," explained Morus, leaning forwards, "Although I have found my friend. Please, if you could bring the ale and rum that I requested earlier?"

Pouting her lips, the girl quickly disappeared, just as Link reached the table. The Hero seemed less disgruntled, however he was also deft at hiding his true emotions, therefore Morus decided not to reach any conclusions. Stockily, Link pulled a chair from near and thumped down upon it. For his comfort, Link then leaned forward, crossing his arms and pushing them onto the table top.

"Thank you for sending the lady away just as I arrived," remarked Link matter-of-factly.

"I ordered you a pint of rum," said Morus, notifying the Hero.

"Oh, then thank you for that," replied Link, smiling, "And tell me, when will you stop breaking hearts?"

"When I find her," answered Morus, "And Zelda?"

"Don't ask me about her," demanded Link, sourly.

"Rum and ale, for the gentlemen, rum and ale!"

The soldiers nodded to the girl, who also took the occasion to shoot Morus a disapproving look, as she placed the pints in front of them. Silently, they sat, deep in thought. The captain noted that his friend was not, at all, like his old self, and decided to strike up a conversation.

"You look glum, I take the council did not end well?"

"Oh, it ended well, there's no doubt about that. And if we need to split into groups, you and I will be in the same one," replied Link.

"Excellent! But why the sad eyes?"

Link sighed through his nose, irritated, before continuing, "Princess Zelda insisted on coming."

"As usual, of course you're both arguing this time around."

"The King said no, and she continued to prod her father until he made a deal with her: she will stay with me, but so will Lord Hur."

"That's unfortunate," responded Morus, raising his eyebrows as he took another gulp of ale, "He's quite tame, though, we won't have much to worry about."

"Until he has another fit," reminded Link.

"Yes, that's right. Strange, wasn't it? I still wonder what caused it occasionally."

"On a second note, the Petalo King will be ready for us in about an hour or so."

"I take it His Majesty of Hyrule is pleased?"

Link shrugged, "Somewhat. Of course, he intended the encounter to take place earlier."

"Understandable," said Morus, quickly glancing about, "Let's move somewhere else."

"Why?" questioned Link.

"The girl from earlier is ogling at me and I feel a bit uncomfortable," replied Morus.

"You knew her intentions, but you shouldn't have answered them!"

"I only meant to flatter her!"

"See, now half the Hyrulean contingent here is staring right at you, expecting you to take her to bed with you. Why? I'm sure they saw," teased Link, a malicious grin appearing upon his face.

The burn beneath Morus's freckles now flashed a more pronounced red. Link chuckled as Morus leaned back in his seat, a characteristic of the captain when he was at unease, though the latter did present a slight smile at the teasing. Shaking his head, Morus regarded Link with an incredulous expression.

"If you weren't so sensitive, I'd say something about you and Princess Zelda."

In response, Link downed his entire pint of rum.

* * *

"The place is swarming, absolutely swarming, with flowers!"

An even more astounding sight had awaited Link at the Royal Palace, where the roses were even more rich than before. Lanes of willows hung their green fingers, reaching down towards the paved lanes and walkways that led all over the palace grounds. Were it not for the decorative properties of the plants, no doubt there would have been no awe upon arriving at the castle. The stone structure itself was unimpressive, as normal a castle as could be with its plain, gray walls detailing a cold exterior. Yet the flora magically transformed the abode of the King of Petalos, splashing the rough surfaces with balls of blues, reds, and yellows, and covering the the buttresses with vines that wound round and round. The garden was tended by the most concise and experienced of gardeners in order to maintain the perfect nature of the courtyards. Bending, they ensured that there were no dead petals, and, most importantly, no pests to deal damage to the dainty flowers. And from the spotless and dainty appearance of the courtyard, the Petalo gardeners performed flawlessly.

A group of Petalo guards had curiously approached the door upon seeing the Hyruleans. In their shiny, small pieces of armour, they waited. The constant wood-upon-rock sound from the Hyrulean King's cart was drawing nearer, and the thumping from the soldiers' feet was augmenting in volume. Nervously, the guards threw glances at one another, unsure of who was to greet the foreigners. However, not much time had been allotted to decide the last matter, as soon the cart drew to a stop, and the King spoke to them.

"Good afternoon, sirs," His Majesty addressed the guards in a polite manner, "Your King has requested to meet us."

The guards urged each other with their eyes to respond to the Hyrulean's demand. Finally, after a significant amount of forceful looks, the smallest of the guards (whose head just reached Link's chest) stepped forward, clearing his throat anxiously.

"Yes, good day," the guard managed to force out, "Our King has been waiting for you. If you would please follow us, we will lead you right to him. But please, tread carefully; our palace is precious."

"That is understandable," agreed His Majesty, "Let us move, then!"

As his duty entailed, Link swung out his arm, leaving the King with a makeshift rail on which he could balance himself. With a grunt, His Majesty leaned upon Link and heavily placed his foot upon the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, Link observed with conflicted mind as Zelda's foot appeared, ready to disembark from the ground. Always watching, the Hero waited until Zelda's hand was moments away from reaching towards his outstretched arm. Then, in a perfectly timed motion, Link swung his arm away, and proceeded to walk to the castle without even delivering so much of a glance to Zelda. Morus disapprovingly shook his head in the Hero's initial direction, and quickly offered his arm to the Princess. Extremely disgruntled, Zelda accepted Morus's offer, all while searing her irritation and directing it to the Hero's back.

Meanwhile, the interior of the castle proved to be just as damp and dark as the exterior. The surroundings were, truly, a disappointing sight. All around the cold walls, tapestries were hung, the fabrics and threads of which were so worn that many of the Hyruleans remarked on how esthetically, the castle could even do without them. No grand difference would have been apparent. Needless to say, the Petalo King placed an extreme emphasis on his gardens, but paid almost no obvious attention to the inner decor of his abode, a great difference he possessed compared to his subjects. The setting was, arguably, rotting within, a devastating opposite to the joy and warmth that lay outside.

Taking the idea even further, Link found that the musky environment was akin to the characteristics of many nobles that lived their days in Hyrule. The Hero was reminded of the women who walked the halls of Hyrule Castle, and settled in each other's quarters when they were not called to duty. Nobles were, undeniably, beautiful, so much so that they blinded themselves to realizing that self-actualization boasted more value (and valor) than an ideal complexion. These "noble" women lived their days, in a sense, secluded, enticing each other with nothing but gossip and delving in nothing but scandals. Gossip was to women as rum was to men. The nastiness of the Hyrulean noblewomen and their beauty was akin to the inseparableness of the lousy core of the castle and the extravagance of the gardens. Surely, there was no wrong in seeking beauty, as without beauty no one would want to live in the world. But as was the case with the Hyrulean nobles, without the heart to match the beauty, one would be hated, even if the hate is not evident. And there was one more similarity between the environment around Link and the Hyrulean noblewomen: the more he saw of the two, the uglier they became.

"His Majesty of Hyrule, his daughter, Princess Zelda, and the Hyruleans!"

The most sombre of all the places in the castle lay in front of the Hyruleans, so dark that they had to take some time to make out the figure of the Petalo King that sit before them. In a tiny throne, the Petalo King, decked in gray, faced the Hyruleans. A good fraction of the soldiers were taken by surprise, as they had never seen a king so averse to luxury. Down from his chin hung a white beard, and his tired eyes found it difficult to focus upon his visitors. Beside him sat a young man, red tresses flowing, and dressed in an equally blank gray as his father. While the King looked to be in despair, the Prince, on the other hand, looked to be cynical in nature, and bitterly regarded the newcomers. In particular, he seemed to almost snarl at Link, and looked discontentedly upon Zelda.

Behind him, the Hero heard his King's order, "Greet the both of them, Hero."

Slightly unsure of the entire situation and how to act, Link shuffled forwards, and cleared his throat.

"Good afternoon," he bowed to the King, "Your Majesty, I am Link, Hero of Time, and Hero Chosen by the Gods. I come with my King, and with his daughter, Princess Zelda, upon a quest to banish evil from our world. Ganondorf, a native of our land, intends to dominate every living being, and we of Hyrule are on a journey to collect at least four of the seven Island Stones that will allow us to access the Glass Palace, miles from here on the island of Trius. We request your generous aid, and will do whatever is necessary to obtain the sacred Stone you possess."

There, Link could conjure no more words, and the chamber was silent. The King had shifted slightly upon his throne, whereas the Prince had set his round jaw with even more contempt. Sensing that the atmosphere of the chamber had taken a bizarre turn, Link shuffled backwards, leaning towards Morus's ear.

"I think he wants me dead," whispered the Hero.

"No surprise; in case you haven't noticed half the world has been trying to kill you," curtly replied Morus.

"No, Morus, I'm sure he wants me dead. Have you seen the look he's giving me?"

"You mean to say that we might not even get the Stone?"

"Not if the King doesn't agree."

"Why, I think he will!"

"And what makes you think that, Morus?"

"If the threat of global destruction isn't enough to persuade them, I'm not sure what will."

"Is there something else?"

"Well, if someone told me that if I didn't do something the Goddesses would launch fire, overflow rivers, and blow away houses, I would agree to whatever they wanted me to do."

"Take Eris away."

The last demand had come from the King of the Petalos. Surrounding the Prince, the guards led from his throne to the door. Bitterly, he spat at Link as he was passed by, disgusting the Hyruleans as he sauntered past them. Taking no heed of the incident, Link turned to face the King once more.

"You want the Stone," said the King in a croaky, dry voice, "There is one thing you may do, Hero of Hyrule."

Fascinated, Link walked forward and bowed to the King of the Petalos. Before he could fully bend his hips, the Hero heard, "No, please, stand. There is no need for theatrics. I will keep this short."

Still silent, Link urged the King with his eyes to begin his story. The two men seemed to have a sort of connection with one another, which amazed Link, who looked straight at the King, unwavering. Hands shaking, the King settled himself deeper into his chair, looked to the ceiling, and commenced his stories, minus introduction and other court formalities.

"Four years have passed since I last heard my son speak," the King sadly narrated, "He had the finest voice of all, such a fine voice."

A sigh preceded the remainder of the depressing story, "Then it was all lost. My boy, among the most charming men at court, fell madly in love with one of the nobles of the Petalos. Hera was her name, and what a sweet disposition that girl possessed. They spent many seasons together, Eris and Hera, and it was wondrous to see them bloom in each other's company. There were talks of betrothal, and of a wedding! What grand days we lived! And after a year, the two young people decided to marry. You can only imagine the joy that we felt, and the pride I felt as a father. When spring came, the wedding was all prepared, and my son was to become King of the Petalos in my place. You see, we have a custom, here, that the King may retire at any time, and I was eager to do so.

'But let us not digress. The night before the ceremonies, my son rode his horse around the Island as a last farewell to a life free of worries, and free of cares. When he returned, we inquired as to the nature of his ride. To our horror, our son was...mute. That enchanting voice...I could not believe what I was seeing."

Visibly shaken, the King wrapped his robes around his body, crouching as he finished his informative, albeit brief, tale.

"The moment we assumed that the worst had happened, Hera disappeared that same night. Frantically, we organized a search of the entire Island, my son leading to find his love. Hero, we combed the Island, from shore to shore, and we couldn't find her."

Hesitatingly, and quite timidly, the King looked at Link once again, the wrinkles in his old face even more apparent than before.

"Eris has never been the same Prince I knew. From the happy boy, he grew bitter, and full of malice and rage. We presented him with other women, but he took none. Thereafter, the palace deteriorated into the sad state you see before you. The townsfolk do not understand the story behind all of this, therefore they have grown a little discontent with me over the four years.

'You ask me what you can do to obtain the Stone from this Island. Link, I will tell you now. Find Hera, wherever she may be, dead or alive, and find my son's voice, restore him to his former glory. Only then will you be worthy in my eyes. Now, leave me be. I understand that our meeting has disappointed you, you were expecting grandeur, nobility. I cannot give those at the moment, not while my son is in this state."

The exchange ceased as suddenly as it had begun. One by one, the Hyruleans filed out of the door, many frustrated at the lack of excitement that they had assumed would be associated with meeting the king of such a different set of beings. Yet Link took no notice to that, as his mind was already turning with possibilities, and plans that needed to be enacted. The Hero glanced at Zelda, who was not too far away from him. The sight of her made Link smile, as he knew by the expression upon her face that she was plotting, as well.


	14. A Walk to the Woods

"Four years, the girl could be dead!"

"I would assume she is! If she hasn't appeared in four years, her body is clearly rotting somewhere."

The ceiling was ever more enticing as the council droned on and on. At the moment, only the nobles had had some sort of say in the Hyruleans' next plan, forcing even Link to feel disposable in relation to the entire quest. Unfortunately, none of the nobles had even taken Link into consideration, though the Hero was a key figure in the entire affair. Here they were, bickering amongst themselves, repeating whatever was being said over, and over, again. Earlier, Link had suggested sending the most troops as was possible to search for Hera, but he was immediately brought to the ground as the stubborn nobles dismissed his idea as blasphemous, and took the time to remind the Hero that he was not from an aristocratic background. Therefore, logically, Link lacked the education to make "informed decisions" and should, in fact, remain silent. As the "educated people" stumbled through their useless dialogue, Link closed his eyes and attempted to fall fast asleep. After all, the nobles did not need his "uncultivated mind", therefore his rest would not bother them in the least.

"Link! What do you think you're doing?"

The Hero's eyelids shot upwards, "Nothing at all!"

"Well," growled one of the Lords that had earlier impeded Link's participation, "Don't fall asleep, now. We have a very important crisis ahead of us, and we would appreciate your input."

Assuming that this was his cue, Link quickly interjected, "You see, the more troops we organize, the quicker and more efficient - "

"And what if we just abandon the search altogether?" burst in another Lord.

The intense denunciation of the idea that followed submerged Link's opinions, and the Hero had to content himself with remaining, arms crossed and motionless, against the wall. Just across from Link, Zelda sat in her chair, chin in one hand, blankly staring at the floor beneath her. Occasionally, the Princess burrowed her mouth into her palm, hiding her yawns. However, Link had to concur that the most unfortunate man of all was Morus, who had been dragged to sit in between two Lords and across from Queen Ruto. Of the trio, Morus was the least obscured, as he was a captain caught in the stubborn crossfire of the council. The captain passed the time by pulling at his straight, brown hair that rested just below his earlobe, something he only decided to do when bored to bits.

Just then, everything resolved itself.

"Silence!"

Every Hyrulean in the room froze, and directed their attention towards the end of the chamber. Princess Zelda had spoken, unable to hold her impatience.

"Don't you see that Link's idea is the most sensible and obvious of them all?" she viciously explained to the council, "And none of you let him speak!"

"But you see, Princess Zelda," protested one noble, "We are all deciding the best course of action. Now, I'm not sure that as a woman you are able to -"

"I am actually more capable than you are, Lord Bren. Now, if you will excuse me. We will follow what Link suggested and start this very minute."

"Princess, you cannot make a decision without your father's consent."

Pleading, Zelda faced His Majesty, who sighed and looked at his daughter.

"Prior to all of this, I would have opposed you. But now, I know better than to fight with you," the King conceded reluctantly.

A satisfied smile on her face, Zelda turned to face the disbelieving council. "My father gave his consent," she declared contentedly.

With a slight chuckle, Link smoothly slipped out of the chamber. From what she had said, Link was aware that Zelda had, to a certain extent, forgiven him. Whistling a traditional Kokiri tune, the Hero returned to his own bedchamber, pushing open the door to gather his belongings.

But he was not alone.

Will was standing near the window. The Petalo man had been waiting for Link all along, and now turned to look at the Hero. Nervously, he motioned for Link to shut the door behind him, so as not to attract the attention of anyone who could possibly be walking to and fro in the hall. The Hero readily complied, as he could see that Will wanted to speak to him about a serious matter. The instant Link bolted the door, Will began to speak, though very quietly.

"I heard all about what the King said to you," began the Petalo before he hastily added, "But please don't assume I meant to eavesdrop!"

"Whatever it is you have to say, if it helps the quest I don't really mind," reassured Link as he settled himself into one of the small, Petalo chairs.

Visibly more at ease, Will let out a sigh and approached Link. The Petalo shot one more cautious glance at the door, then lowered his voice to a whisper.

"I hope what I tell you will help," Will continued, nervously scratching at the top of his bald head, "You need to know that Prince Eris is not the only man to have become mute within the last few years. Nor is Lady Hera the first woman to go missing."

Link leaned closer to the Petalo, interest piqued. In return, Will did the same, until they were one foot away from each other.

"Yes! You see, for the last decade or so we have had many young men on the Island who have suddenly lost their voices. And with every single case, there are similarities. The first is that every one of these young men returned from the forest that surrounds the Island. Of course, whenever that occurs we always try and obtain the story behind their silence. We present them with paper and quill, encouraging them to tell us everything. But, this is where the second similarity occurs: they cannot write down whatever happened to them as they cannot seem to remember anything but one element. The only element that resonates with them is a lake."

"And how many lakes are there on the Island?" interrupted Link.

"Please!" resumed Will, "I'm not finished yet! Although, for your information there are three. Two East from here, and one towards the North.

'Anyhow, there are suspicions that whatever befalls the men takes place in the lake. They all return soaked, you see, so logically it's evident that that is what happened! Since then, we have always attempted to find whatever is preying upon our men, but upon entering the water we see absolutely nothing out of the ordinary."

"And the women?" prodded Link.

"Whereas the men always return, the women vanish," answered Will, further lowering his voice, "Poof! Just like that! But see, I would even argue that the state of the disappeared women is even more bizarre than that of the men. While it is clear where the men have gone, the women leave no clue. We suspected the forest, initially, since from there the men appeared. But there was no sign that any of them had gone to the forest, no one ever saw where these women made off to! Then, we assumed that they were taken from their beds, it was the best explanation, you see. After all, where could they possibly run to? That still is what the King believes, and so do most of the Petalos."

"But, do you believe that all of this has something to do with the lake?"

The inn keeper took a moment to reflect, arms crossed in thought. "It wouldn't hurt to start from there, would it?" he finally said.

"You have dogs here on the Island. Can't they have picked up the scent?" inquired Link.

"We have tried, Hero, by heavens we have tried," sadly remarked Will, "And I assume the King planned to use you as a last resort to finally solve the mystery. He loves his son very much, you see, though being mute is quite shameful here on this Island. The mute are, for the most part, kept indoors, away from the rest of the community."

Link moved towards the window, staring at the scene unfolding below. The Hyruleans were all set to comb the entire Island for Hera, with a few soldiers pouring out from the inns, here and there. They were excited, and could barely contain their high expectations from the expedition. From underneath the window frame, Link grabbed his sword, which had been resting quite sturdily against the wall. The Hero drew out the blade, and examined the metal for any flaws. As he analyzed every edge and face of the Sword, Link asked one last question.

"If every Petalo knows of this, why were we never told by the King? He kept his meeting brief, however this would have been very useful information to obtain."

"You must understand, Link, that since a decade ago, the King has been skeptical of virtually everyone. There is a great chance that he might even imagine that the Hyruleans are the cause of all of this. And you can never tell a stranger everything!"

"But that's impossible!" exclaimed Link, "Your King knows that we only arrived by ship today!"

"Place yourself in the position of the King," urged Will, "Think: even though the Hyruleans have only just arrived despite years of disappearances, could they be behind all of this, especially if their Princess knows magic?"

Link promptly put away his Sword, and countered, "And why would Princess Zelda be interested in rendering your men mute and taking away your women?"

The inn keeper shrugged, "You never know. The deeds were most likely accomplished by magic, and your Princess radiated magic. That's what they're all chattering about in town, now! Wherever she goes our skin tingles, and there's a certain feeling we get about her. That is, undeniably, magic. And right now, we are still searching for answers to our questions, and we are at a very desperate stage. Please, if Hyrule was facing this exact situation, I believe you would all feel the same way we have these last ten years."

As unsatisfying as it was to be blamed, Link had to admit that what the inn keeper was saying was entirely true. Strapping his Sword onto his back, the Hero nodded to Will once more before turning to the door.

"Link!" said Will, effectively stopping the Hero at the door, "We were under strict orders not to relate any of this to any of you for threat of being taken advantage of. Know that the same order applies to every foreigner that has ever set foot upon this Island during the last ten years. I know, speaking sooner may have helped, but you must understand that we were only trying to be cautious. For my sake, if you are splitting into search parties, only tell those within your group."

"So be it," replied Link, "And thank you."

* * *

"Are you sure he wasn't feeding you lies of any kind?"

"Lord Hur, he was quite sincere about it. And somehow I don't think the inn keeper would lie about something that is so important to his people."

The group of four had decided to trek North towards the lake. They had dearly wished that the Petalos would simply tell the entire story to the rest of the army so as to speed up the process, however their intense wish for secrecy prevented that. As well, members of the Petalo community pledged their support and now journeyed, mingled with the Hyruleans. Seeing as there was no guarantee that the foreigners would be able to find Hera and Prince Eris's voice, Link had thought it wise not to speak to anyone except his tiny contingent, and only when they were out of reach from any other Hyrulean search party.

Sunlight fell through the roof of the green forest, casting shadows upon the ground, outlining the shapes of leaves, and even of flowers that grew upon the trees. While the Lost Woods in Hyrule was impressive, it paled in comparison to the forest that surrounded the Petalos' society. The forest had a certain life to it that could not be found anywhere else, and welcomed the Hyruleans with warmth and open arms. In fact, so inviting was the forest that the thought of something dark and destructive living within its core was gradually becoming more difficult to comprehend. Entire orchards were situated up in the trees, ripe fruit hanging precariously from the branches of the giant oaks and evergreens that stretched for miles without end. Below the blanket of the leaves lay a ground of gold, shimmering as the sun's beams struck the dirt, illuminating the whole forest and the travelers as they darted in between the enormous trunks of trees.

"If Hyrule had woods like these, I'd tell my pa to drop his farm materials and build a cabin underneath the trees, right in the heart of it all!" commented Morus.

"I'd do the same," added Link, bending to pick off a rich, magenta flower of a species he had never seen before. The Hero placed the fragile flora into his palm, and regarded it with interest and fascination, gently stroking its soft petals. An idea came into his head, and he turned to Zelda, presenting her with the flower. The Princess stopped for a moment, and hesitatingly looked at Link.

"Take it," ordered the Hero, "It'll look much better on you, either way."

Zelda's cheeks flushed, "Not now, it doesn't suit anything I'm wearing right now. I'm not in a gown, Link."

"I personally think it will suit you fabulously, Princess," added Morus, "Regardless of whether or not you are wearing battle gear."

Again, the Princess hesitated, unsure of how to react. Finally, Zelda let out a small laugh and stretched out her hand, "Oh, why not?"

"Hey! Up there!" cried Lord Hur, "There's an opening in the trees!"

Indeed, there was a gap between the trees. Quickening their pace, the group pushed their way through the opening and gasped. They had found the lake, in all its glory. Never before had they seen more pristine water, crowned with a fresh, green landscape that embraced the lake. A northern wind whistled through the trees, rippling the surface of the water, yet that was the only disturbance that plagued the scene. From one edge of the lake to the center was a makeshift, wooden swing bridge that led to a rock. Evidently, it was a bridge that had been built by the Petalos in order to search for the missing women.

So breathtaking was the scene that the Hylians only then noticed the voice. A voice of a man was resonating around them, not singing, but urging them on in words. Instinctively, Link raised his arm and tentatively grasped the hilt of his sword. Beside him, Morus did the same with his. The two warriors were about to swing when Zelda stopped them.

"Whoever it is, he's speaking from the lake."

"Come," the voice was saying, "Do not be afraid."

"The last part's rather hard to do," said Lord Hur, shuddering.

"Hush!" ordered Link before continuing, "Zelda's right! It's coming from the center. Am I mistaken?"

"No, you aren't," answered Morus, "I hear it as well."

The group of four eyed the suspended bridge that led to the arbitrary rock at the center of the lake. They rushed immediately to the start of the bridge, and Link turned to his other three companions.

"Let me check the surroundings first, then we'll go from there."

Link trod upon the first wooden slab, yet as soon as his full weight was upon it the Hero knew that the wood would collapse. He was too heavy for the bridge, and so he turned to the others.

"Move away, I'll go. Out of the three of us men I'm the lightest," declared Morus, approaching the volatile bridge.

"How is that possible?" exclaimed Lord Hur, "You're the tallest of us!"

"Evidently, but you have more fat clinging to you, it does make a difference," returned Morus.

Morus took two steps, and the bridge creaked, prompting Link to quickly take the captain by his arms yanked him back to shore as two wooden slabs gave way, crumbling and tumbling to the water below with barely a splash. As soon as Morus was on dry land, Zelda stepped forward.

"Perhaps I can try," she suggested.

"No! Princess Zelda! Absolutely not!" cried Lord Hur, "I promised your father I will protect you, so for our sakes please do not cross the bridge."

Unfortunately, Zelda was no longer listening, and had managed to sprint across a good portion of the bridge before the three men could protest. They watched in horror as the fragile structure swung from one side to the other, threatening to throw the Princess off its very body. Zelda's heart beat rapidly, and her breaths came short, though she did not notice, so concentrated was Zelda on reaching the rock. She gripped the ropes that served as rails, praying to the Goddesses that they would save her in case she should fall into the lake, possibly facing unknown dangers.

Link heaved a sigh of relief the moment Zelda's feet touched the stone, while Morus and Lord Hur still stood, jaws agape. Zelda froze, leaving the bridge to swing violently as she stood, not daring to believe that she had crossed. Then, a smile broke upon her face and she turned to her company, and waved joyfully. The Princess then crossed to the edge of the rock and looked down into the clear water, frowning as soon as she realized that she could see nothing out of the ordinary. The lake was, merely, a lake, though the voice seemed to emit from the liquid. Quite disappointed, Zelda looked to her friends.

"Nothing at all!" she informed them, "There isn't anything in the water!"

All three men slumped their shoulders, equally as distraught that nothing had been found. "We'll search somewhere else, then!" shouted Link, "Come on back over the bridge, we're waiting for you here."

Zelda nodded in agreement before bending down to lace her boots, which had come slightly undone during her terrified run to the rock. After all, if the bridge were to begin to collapse, there would be nothing worse than for Zelda to trip on a loose string. Link and Morus completely understood her concern and waited patiently, whereas Lord Hur fidgeted from foot to foot, anxious for Zelda to return. Ready to cross the bridge once more, Zelda straightened and distanced herself from the edge of the rock.

What happened next was so quick that the Princess did not even see what grabbed her, though it was clear the men did. Before Link could open his mouth to shout a warning, what looked to be green vines shot swiftly out of the water and entangled Zelda. Without a sound, Zelda was pulled, dragged into the water with a loud splash before the Princess could cry out.

Instinctively, Link and Morus sprinted to the water, no longer caring about the threats below. The Hero dove into the water, opening his eyes to see Zelda yanked into the deep recesses of the lake. Valiantly he followed suit, pulling at the water with his arms, paddling with his feet. Gradually, Zelda was disappearing from his sight as she traveled deeper and deeper into the darkness.

Morus had only waded into the disturbed waters when a yell caught his attention.

"Do you see? We should not have let her cross to the rock!" Lord Hur was scolding them.

Pursing his small lips, Morus leaped out of the lake and grabbed Lord Hur by the shoulder.

"Well, what's done is done, isn't it?" replied the captain as he forcefully wound his other arm around Lord Hur's waist, "There's no use complaining to make yourself helpful and get in there!"

With a heave, the captain tossed the disgruntled Lord into the lake and watched as he landed clumsily. In turn, Morus dove, dragging Lord Hur with him once they came into contact. Then down they swam, keeping Link in sight as the lake grew darker, and darker.


	15. The Price of Vengeance

No matter how quickly Link swam, Zelda continued to recede from him. Losing air at a pace he had not predicted, Link grew desperate. Leaving Zelda to an unknown fate was not an option, nor was drowning. The sunlight no longer penetrated the water, leaving Link to swim towards the darkness. First the disappearance of light, then the Hero felt the cold that pierced him at all angles. Almost blindly, Link kicked with his legs and pulled with his arms, traveling in Zelda's general direction.

The vine-like arms took Link completely by surprise, and soon the Hero was being dragged deeper and deeper into the abyss. He had closed his eyes to protect them from the sting of the cold water. Head-first, Link was flying through the water, cutting through his obstacles. Not long after, through his eyelids Link sensed that light was filtering through the lake, alerting him that something immense and bright was nearby. Yet it wasn't until the Hero felt air enter his lungs and his legs thump onto hard marble did he open his eyes. A loud clatter signaled Morus's entrance, his light armor crashing against the marble floor. Lord Hur soon followed, too terrified to speak.

A grand hall made of lake-bed stone surrounded them, laying out in a circular shape in which Link and the other two men were at the center. Giant windows lined the space between the buttresses, and under each was a pedestal, upon which a statue of a curious shape was situated. The latter proved true for all but three of the twenty four gloomy and pointed windows. Yards away, Link could see that they were facing a sort of black cauldron that sizzled and bubbled wildly, ejecting bits of unknown substances into the air and onto the floor. The vines had released their prey, and now Link, Morus, and Lord Hur looked about, finding no sign of Princess Zelda.

"We should never have brought her along," hissed Lord Hur, "Now look at the mess we've gotten ourselves into."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a mess just yet, my friends."

Startled, all three men swung about. A woman stood before them, decked in an elegant robe of dark green that billowed and flowed as though it had been laid in water. She looked to be old, and her white mane only served to enhance her age as her trembling hands took hold of a cane. However, her hair did not frame a normal face. Rather, from what Link could see the woman's skin was a pattern of scales, planted all along her body, giving her a slimy, watery appearance. As the men stood observing her, the newcomer raised a hand, and snapped her fingers. Immediately, the vines about them loosened, and retreated into cracks in the walls. Rubbing and loosening their arms and legs, the three Hylians did not lower their eyes from the woman, who was making her way around them and towards the cauldron that lay, bubbling.

"Welcome to my small palace," she purred, "Although you were not invited and entered, rudely."

"You didn't need to pull us in, then, if you didn't want us," suggested Link.

The women let out a forced laugh, before turning to Link, "That is true, however why should I let you all go when you will remember what you saw?"

"Where is Princess Zelda?" Lord Hur demanded to know, "She's here somewhere, so show us where!"

"Ah, Princess Zelda. Well, that's why you came down here, isn't it? Might as well not waste your efforts."

With a snap of her fingers, a green screen of smoke rose from the depths of the cauldron, gathering in a clump at the cauldron surface. The smoke wove and spun, quickly at first, then slowly, evaporating bit by bit into thin air. Black metal hid within the screen, and it was soon revealed that the woman had caused a cage to appear out of thin air. Shaking the bars wildly, Princess Zelda sought to escape, desperately reaching for her friends. The Princess's hair was matted against her head and back, while her soaked clothes clung to her thin frame. Zelda said nothing, fear tightening her throat, rendering her silent. Gripping the bars had transformed her milky knuckles into an unnatural shade of white. Equally unnatural were Zelda's eyes, wide as an owl's as she attempted to understand what she would endure at the hands of this sorceress.

"There," mocked the woman, "Princess Zelda, in a cage. All ready for the ceremony."

"Ceremony?" exclaimed Link and Lord Hur, simultaneously alarmed.

"You didn't expect her to be of no use to me, did you? After all, I lured her here, shouldn't I reap the benefits?"

"What benefits?" growled Link.

Circling Zelda, the sorceress clapped her hands, the beating of her palms reverberating, and out appeared a series of shelves behind the cauldron. Shining bottles full of unknown and colourful substances decked the entire structure, bubbling or standing still. At the very center was a metal box, sealed with a lock.

"Once there lived a Petalo King and his younger sister, Ezima, who both grew as heirs to the throne. As children, power didn't interest either one of them, neither did the question of who, exactly, deserved the power enter their heads. As adults, Ezima's brother wedded the sweetest of queens, and she gave birth to Prince Eris, Ezima's beloved nephew, whom she loved dearly.

'Of course, then something had to be ruined, or I would not be here at the bottom of a lake. Petalo tradition dictated that even though my brother had a son, the throne needs to pass to the next eldest member of the family, regardless of their place in the bloodline. My brother has been ill for years, and the Petalos were sure that the throne was mine.

'It was in the law!"

Ezima pounded her fist down upon a shelf as she cried the last words. The bottles jittered and shook, threatening to tumble and break into a million unrecoverable shards. Turning towards the men, Ezima continued her story, hatred now filling her eyes and creating a horrible gaze of malice.

"He took the case to the Petalo council, and the law was changed after dividing the entire council and people into factions. As you can conceive, I lost the throne, and I sought to fight for it.

'As children, my brother and I were taught the art of magic. Though he never excelled at any of the magical subjects, I was talented in potions. We were taught by Sir Rodrick, a sorcerer in our father's court, who continued to serve my brother. And serve he did.

'They trapped me in the corner of my chamber, and Sir Rodrick performed his famed magic spells upon me. I was submerged into a tank of water, and carried to this very lake. Transformed into a fish-like being, I cannot emerge from water, or I will die. Do you see, now? They did this to keep me at bay, all so my nephew can take the throne! After all, what will I be able to do, confined to an under water world?

'However, they were wrong in that respect."

Ezima gestured to her extensive potions collection.

"They forgot that I still possessed a very thorough understanding of potions. So thorough, in fact, that I was able to create spells that had never before been seen by the eye! From there, I formulated how I was to return to the earth, and seek vengeance upon my brother. Just three more, and I will be free."

"Three of what?" Link demanded to know.

"Look about you, Hero, and tell me what you see."

Link scanned the entire great hall, taking care to look over every little detail at least twice. Morus and Lord Hur followed suit. Ezima was smiling at them and chuckling because, Link assumed, they had not yet seen whatever was so obvious to her.

The pedestals...

Of course!

Link very nearly struck himself in the head, how could he have not seen? Morus further entrenched his beliefs by crying out, "The statues!"

Twenty four pedestals for twenty four statues, with twenty one already filled. Link squinted his eyes, examining the statues. Bit by bit, they revealed their true form. Round stones were replaced by heads, and smooth chunks of stone were revealed to be smooth coats of skin while indents became eyes, nostrils, fingers, and so on. The women were all cowering in fear or pure astonishment, their eyes fixated on some horrible being in front of them at the time they were transformed into stone. Zelda had frozen in her cage, fingers still wrapped unbearably tight around the bars. The process Zelda was about to undergo was completely foreign to her. From the very beginning Zelda had attempted to work some simple spells that she was hoping could, somehow, break her free of the metal that encased her. However, there was a much stronger magic within the cage, and Zelda remained a captive. She glanced at the men, who were now entranced and wracking their brains, thinking of solutions.

"You also came for Prince Eris's voice, did you not?" taunted Ezima, "That is, perhaps, the most intriguing portion the this entire affair. You see, Hero, every person is attracted to certain types of voices. I needed to consume the blood of twenty four young women, but how to get them here? The Petalos have such strict rules against women roaming the forest, so how to separate them from the community?

'The men were so easily captured. Hunting and riding in the forest are very popular activities in which they participate. All that was left for me to do, was to capture them and drag them down here to my lair. Through a spell, I extracted their voices from them to use against these lovely, but exceptionally naïve girls. Of course, the voice must be enticing enough for the girls to be led from the village. Consider if you used any sound at all. Why, they'd be frightened off, wouldn't they? I mixed two, three, four, oh and sometimes five voices to find the perfect concoction. I made sure the men's memories were all erased, evidently, and the poor things returned, mute, to the village.

'From the looks upon your faces, I understand you find what I have done horrible. However, can you really blame me for trying to regain something that is rightfully mine?"

"The bottles," murmured Link, "They're all voices, aren't they?"

"Ah!" exclaimed the sorceress, "Most of them are, except for the two within this metal section."

Another wave of her hand and Ezima sculpted a key from the air. Taking enough time to drive Link to his most impatient stage, Ezima threw open the small door. Inside were two brilliant vials, one full of a red liquid that Link assumed to be the blood of the women, and another full of a green, glowing liquid. Ezima offered one last explanation.

"I will assume you understand what the red vial is for and what it is made of. The green, however, you do not know. The vines must be controlled, and whoever drinks this vial obtains that control."

A slap of the hand and the door slammed shut with a clang. "But, of course, you can have neither. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will proceed to completely eradicate your memory, and you will resurface from the lake, unscathed. How does that sound?"

"We are not leaving without the Princess," declared Morus.

The sound of Morus's speech forced Ezima to look directly at the captain, jaw open in awe. Her eyes brightened until Link could hardly stand to look at their watery countenance. The way in which she gaped at Morus alarmed Link immensely, so much so that the Hero quickly drew his sword. By the second, Ezima was growing more and more elated, and the same uneasiness that engulfed Link was now conquering Morus.

"That voice," breathed Ezima, "It stands alone."

"No," warned Morus, drawing his sword and stepping backwards.

"I only need two more girls after your Princess, and who knows how long it will be until another opportunity presents itself. I need your voice, I need to be able to breathe and survive on land once again! That throne is mine!" said Ezima.

"Morus, don't speak any more," ordered Link.

"Oh, he doesn't need to say another word, Hero. His voice is the one I have been waiting for. No more insanity trying to derive the right voice when I can take his!"

Morus bared his teeth, ready for a fight. Ezima simply cackled.

"Please," she roared with laughter, "Please do us all a good deed and not battle me at all! You forget how powerful my magic is, dear man. And really, no harm will be dealt to you if all you do is comply!"

"If I had any desire to comply and cooperate with you I would not have drawn my sword," growled Morus, though a tinge of fear was clearly caught in his throat.

"Very well then," sighed Ezima.

And the vines flew.

A cry was all Morus could muster as Ezima's vines smashed his lithe body into the palace wall. Tied to the ground, Link prayed to the Goddesses that Morus's back had not given way due to the force of impact. The Hero valiantly struggled against the green weeds that gripped his limbs in place, disabling the use of his sword. Link could see that Morus had not yet dropped his blade, which greatly irritated Ezima, who closed her fist. Another scream and Morus released his sword, the vines pushing against his ribs, threatening to snap the captain into bits. In agony, Morus leaned back his head, fatigued from struggling to fight the vines. The sight of his suffering almost sent a horrified Zelda to the bottom of her cage, as the Princess could only stare, jaws agape, at the tortured captain.

Ezima had taken her time in approaching Morus, who now closed his eyes as he saw the sorceress near him. Briskly, Ezima pinched Morus's chin in between her delicate thumb and forefinger, lifting his face to meet her gaze.

"You're a very handsome young man, so please do not make this process more difficult than it already is for me," taunted Ezima in a mocking tone, "All you need to do for me, at this instant, is to speak. Anything, say anything! You can cry for help, you can dream of your lost love! Anything!"

Hearing what was being said, the captain displayed the only indication of stubbornness Link had ever seen from Morus. The young man defiantly pursed his lips, and looked Ezima straight in the eyes. To further emphasize his unwillingness to be part of her twisted experiment, Morus ferociously shook his head, flicking his brown hair to and fro.

"This should not be a very painful process, Captain. But if you will not do as I say, I warn you I will not hesitate in making it so," cautioned Ezima, a certain edge ringing in her voice.

Morus was afraid. Though he was not standing, his knees became weak, and the emotions he felt numbed his entire body until even the vines could not deal him any more pain. Gambling with his life, the captain shut his lips even tighter.

"I am almost out of voices to use, captain, therefore I need yours and I demand that you surrender it now!" Ezima's voice now had a foreboding tone to it.

Yet the captain did not submit, and it was then that Morus knew Ezima would take drastic actions to extract his voice. If he would not give her what she desired, Ezima would steal it from him.

"You are brave, but so stupid," hissed the sorceress.

In a rapid movement, Ezima snapped open Morus's sealed jaw. The captain closed his eyes tightly, not daring to observe what was to happen to him. During all his years in the Hyrulean military, Morus never imagined that there would come a day when such a savage woman would take hold of him and play with him as though he were nothing but clay. Link was hollering in the distance, though the captain could not discern what it was, exactly, that the Hero was trying to convey. A strange feeling had crept into his throat, and was rapidly spreading throughout his body. The pain hit him as quickly as a bolt of lightning from a gray sky, and it was then that Morus began to shake and groan. Morus's body was instinctively acting to save its master, however as much as the captain thrashed about, Ezima's spell would not stop to delve deep into his flesh and his psyche. The captain's head spun and dizzied him, as the sharp stabbing continued. Morus was whimpering, and even he could hear that and he could imagine how ashamed the entire Hyrulean army would be if they saw their captain act in such a way. Yet all he could do was pray that Ezima ceased to work her magic upon him.

From that point on, Morus's prayers were swiftly answered. The vines released him, and Morus crashed onto the ground, limp from his ordeal. Ezima had ordered the vines to also release Link and Lord Hur, satisfied as a star of light flitted above the sorceress's head. Using only her fingers, Ezima ushered Morus's voice into a bottle, and capped it as soon as the ball had entered the small opening. Morus was upon his knees, one hand covering his mouth. Blood dripped all along his chin and dripped onto the floor of the palace. Equally soaked with blood were the captain's hands and cheeks, which were mainly wet due to the provoked tears that Morus forced out of his eyes from the agony he endured.

Lord Hur froze as the captain looked up and opened his mouth. No sound came from Morus.

One of Hyrule's finest captains had lost the voice many so treasured and associated with harmony and good will. Shaken, Morus retreated against the palace wall, so ashamed that he could not even look at the Hero, a dear friend. Denial overcame Morus so that all the man could do was wag his head from side to side in disbelief. He was mute, a shameful thing to be even by Hyrulean standards, as free as their society claimed to be. Limply, Morus reached for his sword; Never before had he seemed so pitiful, and so willing to discard of the very blade that offered him such an illustrious career in the forces of Hyrule. Seeing the captain behave in such a depressed way, Link faced Ezima.

"Ezima!" yelled Link, "There is a proposition I want to put forth. And for everyone's sake I want you to accept it!"


	16. The Two Vials

"For everyone's sake? And tell me why I should care about absolutely everyone in this room when my main objective is to reappear on land."

"Because Link is the Hero of Time. In that case, if you defeat him, you will be greatly feared by all!" burst out Lord Hur.

Had it not been for the vines that strapped him in place, Link would have thrown himself upon Lord Hur in jubilation. Though the Lord had, essentially, suggested that Link should be heartlessly sacrificed to Ezima, he had, finally, done something along the lines of being useful. So foreign and sudden was the event that even Morus, as traumatized and mute as he was, momentarily ignored the pain and gaped at Lord Hur. Sadly, the Lord had no notion of what exactly he just said, as he had intended his words to bring him protection.

"The Hero of Time," repeated Ezima, turning the words about in her head, "That is quite the title. If I defeat him, then even your army will fear me?"

"Without him our quest cannot continue! So you can do yourself a good deed and beat him to a pulp!" screeched Lord Hur.

Had it not been for the vines that strapped him in place, Link, this time, would have thrown himself upon Lord Hur and planted a kiss upon his cheek in jubilation. Though the Lord had, essentially and again, suggested that Link be so heartlessly sacrificed to Ezima, he had, finally, proven that he could follow one useful action with another. Even more foreign and sudden was the event that Morus, as traumatized and mute as he was, dropped the blade he had struggled so gallantly to retrieve just a moment before and gaped at Lord Hur. Sadly, again the Lord had no notion of what exactly he just said, as he was much more concerned about his own life than about Link's.

Ezima was, evidently, the only figure in the room who was not astonished at Lord Hur's sudden bout of usefulness. After all, she had never before come into contact with the daft Lord. Thankfully, the sorceress did not hesitate in responding, "Very well, then!"

Immediately, the vines gripping both Link and Lord Hur slackened. Despairingly, Lord Hur shuddered and cried out, "I will go now! Good luck, Link, and good bye, Captain Morus!"

"Not yet," said Ezima, stopping Lord Hur square in his tracks, "There is a reason why you are not tied up and that I have not sent you to land. The Hero will need you. Actually, I will even allow the mute unshackled. Your Hero will need the help, I'm sorry to say."

"Oh, no," moaned Lord Hur, "No, no, no!"

Had it not been for his desire to preserve Lord Hur's dignity, Link, this third time, would have thrown himself upon Lord Hur and delivered a well-aimed punch to the man's head. Though the Lord had, initially, very well suggested that Link be so heartlessly sacrificed to Ezima, he had, now, proven that he could just as quickly become useless as soon as he become useful. So familiar was the event that Morus, as traumatized and mute as he was, returned to gagging and choking on his own blood as he reached for his sword. Sadly, again the Lord had no notion of what exactly he just said, as his concern for his own life demoted him greatly in Link's eyes.

But Link did not have the time to think about Lord Hur's sudden return to his old self, as suddenly, a series of creaks and cracks were heard. Every living being in the hall stilled, creating an atmosphere where even the cauldron froze and refused to bubble. Something was scraping along the outer walls of Ezima's palace, rubbing its long, slithering body all over the stones. Whatever was out there, its skin scraped along the rocks. As the sound of the creature grew louder to the ears, Lord Hur's teeth began to chatter, and everyone's attention was directed towards the windows of the palace. A lump jumped to Link's throat when he saw the two eyes, glowering at him, shining yellow through the window to his left.

The window smashed to bits, and Link threw himself upon the ground as the beast darted into the hall, snapping its giant jaws and sending Lord Hur running for cover. For the first time, Link could see what the creature was. A giant snake stared down at him, hissing, and slithering its slimy body through the great hall. Link had not been able to identify the beast, as its deep green and blue form disguised its presence, making the snake appear as though it were water. Ezima stepped back, pleased with her ally, and watched as the snake leered at Link, its eyes focusing on the tasty Hylian that stood before it.

"As I mentioned," she taunted, "You will need help from your friends."

Lord Hur shrieked as the snake dove for Link, who barely managed to dodge its bite. With one flick of his wrist, Link dealt the snake a blow, only to feel his sword slide off the creature's tough hide. Grinding his teeth, Link leaped once more towards the beast, only to be driven off by the giant fangs the snake housed within its mouth.

"You have to swing, Lord Hur!" hollered Link, fighting off the snake, "You can't leave me here to fight alone!"

Not knowing what to do, Lord Hur performed the only action he knew how to carry out effectively: he followed orders. Mustering how little courage he had, Lord Hur took his blade and slashed downward with all his might. A flick of the snake's tail sent Lord Hur pressing his back against the palace wall, avoiding a deadly blow. Link felt slightly ashamed once he witnessed the snake's missed strike; As cruel as it was, the Hero wished that the snake had turned upon Lord Hur, even for just an instant. The snake's head shot low, and Link jumped, only to bring his blade down upon the palace floor.

"Hold still for a moment!" commanded Link, frustrated at having to battle such a difficult beast.

"Yes, indeed!" agreed Lord Hur from the other end of the hall, scrambling to avoid the creature's tail.

Link prayed that somehow, the giant creature would open its jaws wide and create the perfect target which he could stab. Ezima was circling the scene, suppressing the laughter that threatened to bubble from her insides and out into the air. The sorceress could no longer conceive why she had not initially accepted the Hero's offer, seeing as the task was so easy to accomplish. Once she was rid of the intruders, Ezima would turn to Zelda, and the Princess would become the twenty second statue in her horrible collection of statues. Considering the thought, Ezima paced the length of the room, careful not to interfere with her critter's pounding of the Hero and his friends.

So engrossed was Ezima that she had not noticed Morus, who was cautiously creeping along the outer edges of the hall. The captain, bloodstained and speechless, prayed that Link would stay where he was so the snake did not see him. The entire shelf of potions and concoctions was mere yards away from where Morus now stood. From afar, Morus watched as Princess Zelda raised her eyebrows at him, completely aware of Morus's destination. Taking care that Ezima did not see her, Zelda pursed her lips and urgently shook her head. In return, Morus shook his head equally quick, and continued to rush forward. Seeing that there was nothing to deter the captain, Zelda allowed Morus to approach the cauldron, though unwillingly. The captain was remembering every little bit of information Ezima had related to them, and left Zelda to near the cabinet where Ezima's most sacred potions lay. Growing ever more anxious by the second, Zelda shifted to the right side of her cage in the event that Ezima would see the captain if she turned her head.

Link stumbled backwards as one of the snake's fangs pushed him, causing the Hero to lose the equilibrium he so needed to defeat the beast. As the snake lunged again, Link lifted his sword and shield, absorbing the snake's strike as he fell to the ground. The Hero was caught in a situation from which he could not escape. Sensing that his prey was weak, the snake continued to drive its fangs against Link's weaponry. Link struggled to keep the beast at bay, watching as the giant white fangs gradually drew close. Suddenly, the snake thrust downwards, throwing even more weight upon Link, forcing the Hero to pull his head back until it rested upon the palace floor. As strong as he was, Link knew that unless Lord Hur or Morus could enact something extraordinary, his life, as he knew it, would end.

Yet where was Morus?

Only then did Link feel the warm liquid against the back of his head. A seasoned warrior, the Hero did not need to turn about to know what was smeared on the ground. Blood. Out of the corner of his eye, Link saw a trail of Morus's blood that went away from the spot where he now lay. The captain was nowhere to be found, and Link could not afford to take his eyes away from the snake, even for a moment. Arms buckling, Link cried out, "Lord Hur!"

"Not now!" returned the Lord, still avoiding the dangerous, swishing tail of the beast, "I'm caught!"

"The captain! Where is Morus?"

Zelda felt every muscle in her body tense at the mention of Morus's name. Surely, Ezima would be aware of Morus now. The captain was now hurriedly picking the lock of the little wooden cabinet with his sword, alarmed that Link had, unknowingly, revealed his absence. Unable to stopper the blood that was still gushing out of his throat, Morus continued to cough and choke. Ezima followed the trail of Morus's blood, and broke into a run as soon as she realized where the captain had hidden himself. Zelda turned to Morus, who she knew was so abominably close to obtaining the vials that the sight was agonizing.

"Morus!" screamed the Princess, "She's coming back!"

The captain knew not to turn about for the sake of time, and hammered the cabinet door with his fist. Morus did not think of ridding himself of the blood that bubbled in his throat, as his time was limited. Harder and harder, Morus's fist came down, yet the cabinet would not open. He so wanted to warn Link and Lord Hur to obtain help, but the robbery of his voice prevented him from contacting the other two Hylians. Just as frightened as the captain, Zelda decided to yell, just as the captain wanted to do, but could not.

"Ezima! Ezima!"

The sorceress raised her arm and Zelda's knees buckled beneath her once she recognized that the vines would grab Morus. Strangely enough, that moment never came, as Lord Hur had miraculously javelined his blade at Ezima. Though she was not killed, the sorceress was momentarily distracted by the sword that pierced her gown, ensuring she could not move. During the commotion, Link had managed to deliver a smoldering kick to the snake's jaw that sent the creature's head shooting upward. The Hero broke into a sprint, legs pattering hard against the marble ground that lay beneath him. Enraged, the snake repeatedly attempted to bite and finish Link, who deftly avoided all attacks.

After minutes of smashing the cabinet, Morus fell back, relieved to have finally revealed the contents of the cabinet. Two ethereal vials were laid out in front of him, one filled with a green substance, the other with dark red blood that shone as brightly as a gem stone. It was this particular potion that saved Morus, as the reflection of the snake appeared in the crystal. Link had brought the snake closer to the shelf of potions as he fled the beast. Thinking quickly, Morus braced two hands upon the shelf, and propped his two feet upon the side of the cauldron. With all the strength he possessed, the captain lengthened his body, feeling the cauldron roll out from under his legs and land with a clatter upon the floor. Boiling, steaming water was thrown from the cauldron, spilling and covering the marble. By chance, the snake slithered directly on top of the water, and began to thrash and hiss with the most earsplitting of sounds. During its torture, the snake's body struck Ezima, who had torn her dress from Lord Hur's unbelievable throw and the sorceress was tossed to one side before she could command the vines.

"Link! Behind you!" shouted Zelda.

The Hero turned to find that Morus now held both precious vials in his hands. The captain cocked an arm, holding the green vial, and launched the potion at Link, who promptly caught the little glass container. Digging his nails into the cork, Link lost no time in opening the vial and brought the potion to his lips. At once, Link felt as though he were being lifted into the air, his organs and limbs floating. There was no need for tutelage or suggestions of any sort; The potion granted the Hero an ability to control the vines. Bending his arms, Link watched as the vines shattered the remaining windows that decorated the palace. Twisting his wrists, the Hero directed the vines at the snake, constricting the beast's tail, body, and neck. Completely helpless and at Link's mercy, the snake could not escape the grips of the vines, and felt the plants closing on its head. The Hero could feel the creature fighting for release, but Link only closed his fists even tighter.

A resounding crack that echoed in the room marked the death of the snake, its immense body crashing down once Link opened his fists and dropped his arms.

Morus, during Link's ultimate duel with the snake, busied himself in smashing the vases situated upon the shelf's wooden body. Light darted everywhere, bouncing off the walls of stone before the little lanterns ricocheted into the water and ascended toward the surface of the lake. Glass lay everywhere about Morus's feet, yet the captain didn't care and continued to smash whatever containers he could see.

His voice found him. Spiraling around his lean form, Morus knew that the ball of blue light was seeking him, and opened his mouth. The voice lost no time in returning to its rightful owner. Without any pain, Morus felt the organs in his throat repairing themselves, undoing the damage Ezima had dealt him. Satisfied, the captain closed his eyes and his entire body relaxed, his loosened muscles dropping the vial of blood in the process. Link snatched the vial from the ground, and turned to face Ezima, holding the potion above the ground.

"Don't you -" Ezima, incensed, prepared a ball of magic in an effort to save herself.

Angry with all the sorrow Ezima had caused, Link smashed the vial against the marble, watching the glass split into jagged pieces that jingled as they broke. Around him, Link saw that the pedestals were lit, and the stone statues upon them were transforming into a new set of different colours and tones. Soon, they began to move and one by one, the women appeared and were dragged by some unknown force out of the palace. Astounded by their awakening, as they were departing each one gazed at Link with such confusion, yet with an expression of thanks. Though they did not yet understand the complete story, the women did understand that Link and his friends had just accomplished a wonderful feat.

"No," moaned Ezima, "No."

Lord Hur bounded to Link's side, watching, unbelievingly, at the sights that unfolded before him. Zelda was no longer encased in a terrible cage, and was now, too, floating toward the surface. The Princess met Link's eyes, and smiled. They both raised their hands and waved softly to one another, knowing that they were to meet upon the shores of the beautiful lake.

"Come back," exclaimed an exasperated and distraught Ezima, "All the things I went through."

A splitting crack exploded above them, and the Hylians looked up to see that a rift had ripped through the roof of the hall. The palace was disintegrating, collapsing in a heap upon the lake bed. Chunks of the palace were fragmenting, crashing towards the Hylians. Spying a door at the other end of the hall, Link turned to Lord Hur and Morus.

"That way! Don't look back just run!"

"First I'm thrown into a lake, second I'm captured by a sorceress, third I'm fighting a snake, and now rocks are falling onto my head!" whimpered Lord Hur.

Link sped across the glass-covered, rocky floor, keeping his eyes upon the ceiling as he went. With each stone that fell, the marble gradually gave way and splintered, spikes directed upwards. Once or twice Link clumsily slid on glass, tumbling to the ground before rising once again to break down the palace doors. Gathering all his momentum, the Hero braced his left shoulder and sent his body crashing through the wood, swinging one of the doors wide. Link then realized why they had been able to breathe in the palace. A large bubble of some kind surrounded the entire structure, forming a shield of air that allowed every being inside to survive. Intent on smashing through the bubble as well, Link continued his run, only to fall back from the impact of hitting the shield. The Hero swore, and wondered how the women were able to escape through the barrier when he could not.

A sword drove through the shield, rippling whatever material was holding the wall together. Link looked up to see Morus, and the men smiled at one another.

"It's nice having you back," said Link.

"What are you saying?" replied Morus, "I was there all along."

Seeing that the shield needed to be dealt one final stab, Link lifted the Master Sword and delivered the last blow. With the palace crumbling behind them, Link and Morus watched as the bubble began to shatter. Lord Hur had, at last, caught up with the other members of his contingent, and stood huffing and puffing. In horror, the Lord realized that to reach liberty, he was required to swim to the surface of the deep lake. Upon this sudden knowledge, Lord Hur's face paled, and he alarmingly turned to his two companions.

"How am I supposed to lug myself all the way up there?" he screeched as the barrier collapsed, water beginning to gush in.

"Hold your breath!" answered Morus.

A ringing signaled the end of the barrier, and a boom behind the three Hylians marked the end of the palace and Ezima. Link was engulfed in lake water, paddling and reaching with all his might through the darkness. The lake was deep, and Link knew that he, potentially, did not possess enough air to help him reach the surface. Unwilling to judge the distance that remained before he could reach land, Link shut his eyes and kicked his legs as powerfully and as quickly as he could possibly manage. Gradually, the Hero felt a strain in his chest, and his arms and legs seemed to almost lock. The water battled Link, holding him, strangling him. His body began to shudder, and his head became heavy. Soon, Link knew, he would go as limp as a doll if he did not reach the surface within the next few moments. An arm wrapped around Link and began to drag him. Relief flooded Link as he continued to kick with his legs in an attempt to aid his saviour. The water had warmed, indicating that the sun was not too far from where they were. Only a few more strokes would do.

The moment Link broke through the water, the Hero gasped loudly. He regretted not having brought his blue tunic with him, for the entire ordeal would have been much easier. While Link gathered as much as he could into his lungs, Morus appeared alongside him, arm still around the Hero. Clearly, the captain had been the one to lug Link towards the surface. On the captain's opposite shoulder was Lord Hur, completely senseless, mouth agape in the middle of his face that was as white as a sheet. The captain began to paddle calmly towards the shore, Link and Lord Hur in tow.

Exhausted, Link addressed his friend, "How are you such a strong swimmer?"

"They used to force me to swim a lot more than the other soldiers," explained Morus, face drooping at the memory.

"Why?" gasped Link.

"Because I was a farm boy. They did it for fun. I would finish my required laps, and the captains would kick me back into the water and make me swim twice the required amount, just to see if I would faint and drown."

"That's terrible."

"Of course it was. You wouldn't know, but no one likes a farm boy in the Hyrulean army."

"How is that so? I thought everyone loved you."

"That's all because I'm not a farm boy anymore."

Zelda was at the edge of the ground that separated the water from land, anxiously examining the three Hylian soldiers.

"I thought I was going to drown," confessed Link, softly so only Morus would hear, "Right now I'm wondering how you're still so alive."

"Well, I didn't do too much down there," said Morus, "Besides getting my voice box destroyed. You see, my pa's got this hourglass I gave him one year, right? I only gave it to him since I thought it was pretty, but he loves it. He resets it every time I go off on a mission for Hyrule. Says it's my life line. As long as that hourglass keeps going, I'll still be alive."

"And how long will that be?"

"Last time I saw it, it still had a whole lot of grains of sand in it."

Heaving, Link pulled himself to shore, collapsing in the soft dirt. He only opened his eyes when two gentle hands cupped his face, lifting him to face upwards.

"You look horrible," teased Zelda.

"Morus looks even worse," answered Link.

The captain had removed his light armour, and the women on shore gasped as Morus revealed his blood stained shirt. The water had not washed out the remains of the torture the captain had endured. Morus's hair was now a dark brown, matted to his head, slightly in the way of his tired eyes. Zelda turned to face Link once again.

"No," replied Zelda, "I think he looks slightly better than you do."

"My arms ache, and there's pain along some parts of them," groaned Link.

"You have glass caught in your flesh, that's why."

Link moaned, then jerked his head up with the most peculiar look in his eyes. "Hera!" he exclaimed, "Where is she?"

"Don't you fret, Hero, I'm here."

A petite, pudgy young Petalo woman approached Link, weighed down by her soaked gown. Silently, Zelda moved away and allowed Hera sufficient time with the Hero. The two stared at one another, unsure of what to do, what to say. Then, to Link's surprise, the Petalo landed a quick peck on his cheek with her lips, and looked into his eyes.

"Thank you," was all she could say.

Hera then turned to the rest of the women, who analyzed the newcomers with great curiosity and gratitude. "Well, don't stand and stare, ladies, let's go clean these men up!"

"I'm going to have to walk again, aren't I?" muttered Link.

"Yes, you are," answered Zelda, starting to walk away.

"Zelda!" exclaimed Link, "Could you make an exception for me and carry me back to the village? I really can't move, at all."

With a superficial incredulous look upon her face, Zelda turned to Link, pretending to be offended. "Carry you back? Is that what you ask a Princess?"

"Zelda, please, just this one time and I will never make you carry me again," pleaded the Hero.

"I'm just as wet and sore as you are," replied Zelda, "So stand up."

"Zelda, I beg you."

"Morus has blood running down his shirt, and had his voice box torn out in addition to the other injuries he sustained. Oh, although he is walking, all by himself with no help at all. If Morus can get himself upon his feet, you can, as well."

"But Morus is also the most invincible farm boy both of us have ever seen in our lives," protested Link.

"And you are the Hero of Time," reminded Zelda.

"Zelda, don't play those games with me."

Hands on her hips, the Princess sighed, then surrendered. "All right, get up, then! You will have to move your feet a little since I cannot shoulder your entire weight. And keep your hands around my neck and shoulders at all times. Easy now, steady! That's it! And just close your eyes a little; The trip will seem shorter if you can fall asleep. Either way, you have earned it."


	17. Let the Festivities Begin!

Delicately fondling the gold chain that wrapped about her fingers, Reiza gazed at the necklace that Ganondorf had brought her. She puckered her lips in disapproval, and placed the jewels upon a nearby windowsill. Ganondorf regarded her curiously, and raised an eyebrow.

"You don't like it?" he asked.

"Not particularly," answered Reiza.

Ganondorf sighed, but showed no indication of being particularly surprised. The Gerudo had looted all the jewels from the Princess's chamber, though not necessarily for Reiza's amusement. Distraction, was more the word for it. Even Ganondorf's top commanders were gradually becoming afraid of Reiza, as her unorthodox methods of completing every task left them in a perpetual state of uncertainty. The moment Ganondorf's army had overtaken the Island of Promise, Reiza had, evidently, demanded to be the first of the commanders to extract the Stone from the Royal Family. Ganondorf had felt all eyes upon him, waiting to see what would happen. The Gerudo had turned to her, and requested that she stayed put as he whispered in a Stalfo's ear to, quickly, raid the Princess's chamber. It was imperative to not anger the woman. So here with Ganondorf she stood, disregarding jewels as the Gerudo's other commanders prodded the Stone holders. Ganondorf hoped that, somehow, they would obtain the Stone before Reiza decided to do so herself. His plan had been working smoothly, though not to the extent he liked it to.

Eventually, the plot fell apart.

"If you thought giving me all of this would take the Stone off my mind, you really were not thinking at all," she told Ganondorf.

So she knew.

"I can't let you do whatever you want all the time," explained Ganondorf, slightly nervous as to what Reiza's reply would be.

"Hm," grumbled Reiza, "You're honest, at least."

"You understand, don't you?"

"Ganondorf, if there is anything I learned while I was a whore working in Termina, it's that fathers care about their daughters very much. Well, most. If we had threatened the King with one of his daughters, he would have given us the Stone long ago. Then, we could be on our way to the next Island."

"We only need the majority of the Stones, which means we only need to reach four Islands."

"But do we know where the Hero and Princess Zelda are? For all we know they could have three of the Stones already."

"That's impossible, they left Termina later than we did."

"And then you want to stop at that island in the middle of the ocean that has no significance."

"We need supplies, especially if we are to go seeking a third Stone right after this. We need to stop because we don't enough supplies to reach the Island after this."

"I'd rather we left as much time in between us and the Hyruleans as possible."

"I understand, but we also need to take practical steps. You don't know that yet because you haven't ever been in a war."

"Well, if burning this entire place to the ground is practical, I don't see why you're so opposed to doing whatever is needed to get the Stone. Ganondorf, allow me to speak to the King. I know how to make him quiver and shake, and right after we can head northeast, I promise you that."

Again, Ganondorf let out a sigh. Though he knew that he was correct in so many ways, Reiza had her own logic as well. To be very honest, Ganondorf hated that in a woman. And Reiza was so insistent on leaving the Island that Ganondorf decided that, in everyone's best interests, he should allow her to do whatever she wanted.

* * *

Groggily, Link opened his eyes and peered about. He had been returned to his proper room in the inn, and now lay sprawled with abandon upon his cot. The feeling was absolutely extraordinary, as Link had spent days devoid of this level of comfort. It wasn't until Link stretched his entire body did he notice that his forearms had been bound with cloth, along with spots on his torso. The Hero vaguely remembered Zelda commenting on the presence of glass in his skin, and decided to examine his wounds. Taking his left hand, Link touched his fingers to the knot of one bandage, just as the door to his chamber swung open. Zelda had come with a bowl of water, and her eyes widened once she realized what Link was up to.

"Don't you touch that!" she snapped.

Intimidated, Link removed his hand from the cloth, splaying his fingers to reassure Zelda that he had nothing in them. Thankfully Zelda had not been angry with Link, and calmly sat by his bedside, cradling the water and another cloth in her lap. The Princess had discarded her trousers and other masculine attire for a traditional Hylian dress, which Link found quite stunning upon her. Zelda had swept her hair into a bun, and had clearly pampered herself after the past ordeal. Carefully, Zelda began to unwind the long block of cloth that covered Link's right arm.

"I hope there isn't any more glass left," remarked Link.

"Not a shard," reassured Zelda.

"Thank you for extracting them, then."

"Oh, I didn't do much of that. The Petalo woman did, Georgia. You have her to thank for that. I made a mess of it and she fussed me right out of the chamber."

"And how did you make a mess?"

"I managed to push a shard even deeper."

Link burst into laughter, "How did you manage to do that? That isn't possible, even for someone like me! Where you embarrassed?"

"Extremely," admitted Zelda, "Although if you had worn your gauntlets, I wouldn't have had to embarrass myself."

"I apologize?" declared Link, uncertainly.

Zelda let out a chuckle, "You're forgiven, don't you worry. And in case you were wondering, for the most part the glass slid out quite easily. However, one of them was buried so deeply Georgia had to sew your wound close."

"That's fine," shrugged Link, "And Morus?"

"He's coughing up blood, but that's not from his lungs, it's from his throat so all should be good."

There was a slight hesitation before Link inquired about the one person he disliked minus Ganondorf, "And Lord Hur?"

The Princess almost giggled when she heard the apprehension in Link's voice, "The only thing shattered are his nerves."

"Link!"

Morus burst through the door, causing Link and Zelda to jump in surprise. Zelda hadn't been lying when she informed Link that Morus was coughing blood, for in the captain's hand was a cloth soaked in blood. Apart from that, Morus had recovered, as indicated by the colour that had returned to his freckled cheeks. And so had his voice, of course, as well as the youthful energy Morus usually possessed. While the captain pulled a stool to Link's bedside, a series of small, running steps followed by cries.

"Captain Morus!" shrieked Georgia, darting into the room, "Come back at once! I'm not finished treating your throat, and if you want your blood to clot I suggest coming right back here."

"Well, it's clotting already!" protested Morus, "Georgia, why don't you look after Lord Hur? He's turning in his bed just thinking about what happened to him!"

The small Petalo woman stood in the hallway, her daughters giggling as their mother, frustrated, put her hands on her hips.

"Except Lord Hur doesn't have a single scratch on him!" exclaimed Georgia, flicking her red hair to and fro, "You, on the other hand, are bleeding internally."

"Oh, come on now, Georgia! I'm not choking on my blood, anymore! That has to count for something! In addition to that, you did force me to miss the wedding."

"You were invited to a wedding?" asked Link, quite confused.

Morus raised his eyebrows and met Link's eyes, "You really can't remember anything? They're parading outside, can't you hear them?"

Link shot upright in his bed. Of course! How had he forgotten? Evidently, Prince Eris and Hera would continue right where their story had ended the last time, cut short by Ezima. A fanfare was brewing outside, the music of revived lutes filled the air, mixed with the cheers and excited chatter of the Petalos. Morus had approached the small window at the end of Link's chamber, and now gestured for Link to join him. Curious, Link dragged off the clean blankets that covered him, and prepared to stand just as Zelda was tightening a cloth upon his wound.

"No, don't -" warned Zelda.

Link stood, not even noticing as the loose cloth slipped from his torso.

"...Stand," finished Zelda, downcast, watching as the long fabric unwound from Link's body. Zelda would have to repeat her hard work from scratch.

The entire village displayed a life so vivacious that Link had almost never seen a happier bunch of people. Below them, the Petalos filled the streets, lips stretched wide into smiles. In front of their particular inn, a group of Petalo men had begun a traditional dance, encouraging the crowd to clap their small hands in time to the musicians. Link grinned as he saw a few Hyrulean soldiers being eagerly pulled into the dance, their faces bearing expressions that betrayed both their nerves, but also their excitement. Will pushing and shoving through the joyous crowd, pints filled to the top with fresh ale that every man and women snatched from him. Dodging in and out of doors, every innkeeper in sight scrambled busily to accommodate the needs and requirements of the celebrations. All around them, the flowers bloomed, even richer than before.

The Hero watched for some time, then turned to Morus, frowning.

"But we're to leave tonight, aren't we?"

The captain shook his head, "There's a storm brewing in the path we want to take a few miles offshore. Thankfully, the wind is blowing towards the West, however if we were to leave now or even tonight we would be caught in the storm."

"So there isn't a chance we'll be after the third Stone today, then," remarked Link, disappointed that such a misfortune had to occur.

"Exactly," confirmed Morus, "Although the Petalo King is quite ecstatic about that. He's invited the Hyrulean captains, nobles, and you to the palace this evening. Apparently they're redecorating the entire palace at this instant, which I think was sorely needed long ago."

"Of course."

"And if you want to see the Prince and his new Princess, you will be able to during the feast and the ball. Unfortunately, you slept right through their passage around here."

A series of shouts and laughter interrupted Link and Morus, prompting them to turn and face the door to see what all the banging and commotion was about. With a yelp, Georgia and her daughters threw themselves upon the hallway walls, revealing two Hylian soldiers, arms around petite Petalo girls. Both boys were lean, indicative of lower class Hylians, but most of all, both had clearly over-drank their share of the ale. Besotted by the girls, they both grinned at their captain and the Hero as the Petalo girls attempted, in vain, to pull them along.

"Cap'n Morus!" hollered the handsomer of the two, speech slurring, "Why don' you git yurself down there? No fun up 'ere!"

"Bayas, please remove your hands from that girl," ordered Morus.

As predicted Bayas only roared with laughter, throwing his head down and allowing his fine blond hair to tumble lightly into his eyes.

"They think ah'm mighty 'andsome, Cap'n!" explained the soldier, desperately.

"An' this 'un does, too!" added the other, a chubby arm around a third giggling girl.

"Bayas and Drait," scolded Morus, "Control yourself. This isn't Hyrule, and we have to be on our best conduct."

"I wholeheartedly agree!" burst Georgia, wagging a finger at both Bayas and Drait, "You boys need to be more responsible, especially as foreigners to this Island! What would your King say to this?"

"Ah dunno!" returned Bayas, "But who really cares?"

"Georgia," teased one of the girls as she sauntered forward, "No one on this Island has had this much fun in so long! Why not now?"

Bayas had, evidently, gotten to the girl long before his return to the inn. Her orange hair was a mess, tangled and tussled every which way. Red spots were bit into her neck and right shoulder, which was bare as the puffed sleeve that used to cover it had been pulled much too low. The girl was a lively, and buxom young thing, her figure so enticing that it tempted even Morus, who could not resist examining the curves in her red gown.

"Salma! I don't care how substantial your chest is, it should remained covered!" said a horrified Georgia, attempted to pull up the girl's gown, yet failing quite miserably, "And what would your mother and father say to all of this?"

"They don't care," retorted Salma, "Mum's having fun with pa, just like she should be."

"Oh, you girl!"

"No matter, though, I've got myself a fine young thing," she cooed, taking Bayas's face into her hands, but stopped and pointed at Morus, "But I wouldn't mind having that one, as well."

Everyone in the room but Georgia and Morus laughed, with the captain's cheeks turning as red as a rose. Fluttering her hands in an exaggerated manner, Georgia swat at the immature young men and women.

"Off you go! Off you go! And do not let me see any of you!"

"'Ey Cap'n!" shouted Beas once more, gesturing at two girls who clung to his waist, "Want to share one with me?"

"No, Bayas, I don't," refused Morus.

"Well tha's much too bad! Shame, y'know? As a Cap'n ah've only ever seen you do this once! But if ah kin git myself two, you're 'andsome enough to go down an' git yurself worked by four!"

"All at once!" hollered Drait, causing everyone to cackle in drunken stupor.

"Righ', well we'll leave you be, Cap'n!" said Bayas before turning to the girls around his waist, "An' girls, ah'm so surry but ah don't 'ave the energy to do much. You're both gonna 'ave to do most o' the work!"

"Bayas! What 'appened to 'the man pleases the lady'?" taunted Drait as they allowed themselves to be dragged down the hall.

"Ah dunno, Drait! It's gone...Out o' the window, ah think!"

The soldiers and girls thundered down the halls, and one of Georgia's daughters turned to her.

"If you think they're horrible, you should see the scene downstairs, mum."

"Well, I won't go downstairs, then! Captain Morus! Please help my nerves and come with me, I need to patch you up by tonight so let's move!"

Finally obeying, Morus turned to Link, "You have around four hours, right now. And so you know all your belongings have been moved to my chamber since yours is too small. The healers had a difficult time moving about."

"I'll see you, then," replied Link.

Holding the cloth to his mouth, Morus hacked and coughed. Alarmed, Georgia gently pulled him out of the room, patting his back as she did so.

"There, there," she comforted the captain, "We'll get you all fixed! Come along, now."

The door closed behind Georgia, leaving Link and Zelda alone. Correctly predicting that Zelda would want to finish cleaning his wounds, Link returned and sat upon his bed. Again, they sat in silence, Link watching as Zelda bound the cloths around and around his arms.

"I've seen the dress they prepared for me," mentioned Zelda excitedly.

"Is that so?" commented Link, "And what does it look like?"

"I can't tell you," continued Zelda, "It's a surprise!"

"You can't start a conversation about something then not say anything about it," protested Link, provoking a chuckle from Zelda, "That's not fair."

"Fine, then, whatever you want," answered Zelda, "It's white, and it's got some things I've always wanted to have on a gown."

"What would those be?"

Zelda blushed contentedly before replying, "Small, puffed sleeves with bare shoulders."

"Isn't that a little improper?"

"Not here, it isn't, Link. And it scoops to about halfway down the back."

"Now that isn't improper, that's just scandalous."

"But it's very pretty!" exclaimed Zelda, "It's traditional, here, and only Hyruleans would think it scandalous. Did I tell you that the skirt expands out as well? It isn't like those boring long skirts I have on my other gowns. And the seamstresses made it just for me. They worked so quickly and efficiently."

"That's awfully good of them."

"Yes! And Georgia has offered to do up my hair! She says she will make two braids in my hair, starting right above my ears until halfway. Then, she gather and tuck the rest of it near the lower part of my skull! Not as a bun, though, because that isn't very pleasing to the eye. Doesn't that sound lovely?"

"Provided she doesn't make a mistake," teased Link.

"You don't believe me, but you will see," countered Zelda, "There, all done. How do you feel?"

"Fine."

"Well, in that case I'll be going away, now. I'll see you tonight."

"Goodbye, Zelda."

* * *

"What are you saying, you only brought tunics with you?"

"We're fighting a war, not attending balls."

Morus fumbled through his satchel, tossing whatever clothing he could find out onto the floor about him. Link, for his part, balanced his weight against a wall, arms crossed as he watched his friend. The Hero wasn't particularly concerned about his lack of celebration clothes, though he was a great deal impressed with the past farm boy's collection. Evidently, the wealth Morus accumulated ever since he was appointed captain was extensively used, and able to obtain the captain the luxuries he had always wanted, but could never buy. The majority of the time Link scorned those who sought to resemble Hyrule's nobles, yet he silently admitted that somehow, Morus's ambitions to do so had an endearing quality to them.

As if he knew exactly what Link was considering, Morus echoed the Hero's thoughts, "I never used to be able to have things like this, as I'm sure you know. Being a farm boy was never particularly fulfilling for me."

"I can imagine how happy you were to be drafted into the army, then."

"Absolutely! Ecstatic was more the word. And when I became captain? You can imagine that as well, after all those years of training to be someone."

"Training to be someone?" asked Link, cocking an eyebrow.

Morus lost a small bit of the joy that usually flitted about him, "The army isn't very good to farm boys."

"I've never been through any of that formal training, so I wouldn't know."

"Of course, it shows when you fight; You're not as graceful as most Hylians. Then again, neither was I. But all the taunting, mocking, even hitting. I'm happy you didn't have to go through all of that."

Link slackened his arms and loosened his face, pitying his friend who came from a background so similar to that of the Hero's, yet Morus possessed a certain sensitivity that made him fragile. Sure, he was exceedingly bright, especially for a farm boy, but that didn't seem to change anything when the army took him.

"Farm boy, farm boy," imitated Morus as he straightened out all the clothes, "Nothing but a toy. It's the rhyme they used to chant about me. Unfair how I had to become a captain before they all started to take to me, hm?"

"Except for Colonel Bright, of course."

Morus chuckled lightly and turned to Link, "Yes, Colonel Bright."

Colonel Bright was the one man in the entire Hyrulean army who actively sought to make Morus's life absolutely miserable. A giant of a man, the Colonel often used his size to bully men into submission, most notably Morus and most prominently when the latter was a boy. He was an honest man, yet also cruel, even to the point of sadism. Year by year, the Colonel's rigid features became even sharper, and even more unflattering as he aged. This was greatly contrasted by the Colonel's wife, a pretty Hylian who was clearly much too young for the Colonel. The Colonel had, at first, been immensely taken by the young girl, yet as of four years ago now showed almost no interest in her. Rumours and myths circulated as to why this was so, but nothing was ever fully confirmed. In the end, everyone assumed that she, like many others, simply hated him.

Morus, for his part, lived in constant fear of the Colonel until he was promoted to Captain. It was the Colonel who deftly kicked him, again and again, into the waters of Lake Hylia until Morus felt as though he were drowning. Not long after he entered the army, Morus was quick to know that though Colonel Bright soundly hated commoners, farm boys were even lower on his list. Ambitious and handsome farm boys, however, were what Colonel Bright loathed the most, putting Morus in a very unfortunate position.

"Farm boy!" he would holler, forcing Morus to approach, "So tell me: a loaf of bread was stolen from the kitchens today. What do you know about it?"

"Nothing, sir," answered the boy, though he knew exactly what was to come.

"Really? Because from what I know you were the last to be sighted near the kitchen. Against the wall, Morus! Boys like you need to be punished."

But, much to the Colonel's chagrin, there was a linear relation between how severely he punished the boy and the latter's determination to succeed. Morus was, essentially, the boy Colonel Bright wanted to be when he was young. Each beating seemed to transform Morus into a handsomer man, and each kick seemed to render him even more intelligent and charming. If anyone could drive the Colonel to insanity, Morus was the boy. Matters were worse when the boy was promoted to Captain, as Colonel Bright no longer possessed the total authority he had over Morus.

"I've always wondered why he doesn't like you," commented Link, grabbing a rotund and enormous red apple from a bowl.

"Here," interrupted Morus, tossing the Hero a clean, white shirt, "Try that. I think your shoulders are too broad for anything else."

"Oh, why thank you," said Link gazing at the shirt, "And Morus, while I was asleep did anyone say anything about where we're headed next?"

"Yes!" replied the captain, "There is a small island the pirates of Termina set up after they realized that they would make a lot more money running inns and selling provisions than looting. We're headed there before setting off for a third Island. Tomorrow morning, we'll cross the part of the ocean known as 'Hallow Strait' on our way there. Will told us about that part of the ocean, actually, and mentioned that we must absolutely not drop anything into the water."

"And why is that?"

Morus shrugged, "Even he doesn't know, but he insists we do so as it is a local legend."

"Those Petalos," grumbled Link, "Always keeping things from us."

"Well, you can't blame Will if he doesn't know," defended Morus, tossing another ball of fabric into Link's hands, "And put on these trousers, as well. If my legs are too long for you stuff the hems further into your boots. Link, if only you weren't so short, this wouldn't be so difficult."


	18. Night of the Lovelorn

Georgia's daughter had not lied when she described the scene downstairs. Early evening had just arrived, yet half the people in the streets were barely conscious. The ale had been running without stop the entire afternoon, and without charge. Tipsy and happy, the Petalos and Hyruleans stumbled through the streets, arms around each other to remain balanced. Link and Morus dodged the wildest of the celebration goers, determined to remain proper once they arrived at the palace. At one particular inn, windows were being smashed as the drunkest of the bunch decided to cause a little chaos. What had began as a perfectly traditional celebration had rapidly escalated to honor pleasures of the flesh. So many Hyruleans were also involved that Morus had completely given up his efforts to strike the soldiers into order. The music played louder than ever, though the musicians had largely abandoned technique for volume as they also had consumed too much ale. Dancers fell and stumbled, their footing slipping beneath them, demonstrating how impaired every person had become. It wasn't difficult to imagine that the festivities would continue long into the night.

The event marked the very first time Link had actually paid great attention to his appearance. Dressed in a black doublet with golden buttons, the Hero adjusted the sleeves of the shirt that he wore underneath, ensuring they would not wrinkle. After some convincing, Morus had urged Link to remove "that ridiculous cap", exposing the Hero's golden hair that traveled to the base of his skull. They had also decided to honor Petalo traditions and hung rapiers at their sides, sheathed in the finest leather.

"We look identical," Link had remarked.

"Well, what did you expect? We are both dressed in my clothes so of course! The difference is that you are dressed in black, and my doublet is red," Morus had retorted.

As they neared the Petalos' palace, Link and Morus could see that other Hyrulean nobles were also arriving. Lord Hur was among them, still furtively glancing left and right to check for anything that could compromise his wellbeing. Torches shed their light upon the courtyard, streaming their light through the leaves and petals of trees and flowers. The ambiance was enchanting, and the music playing from the palace made it even more so. Laughter and chatter filled the air as Link and his friend approached the doors, where the guards were awaiting them. Recognizing the Hylians, the Petalo guards bowed, smiles upon their faces, grateful for the deed Link and Morus had fulfilled. Various Petalo nobles followed suit, admiration in their eyes.

The inside of the palace had been altered almost completely. A hefty amount of small candles lined the corridors, illuminating the oak tables that supported them as well as the previously dull tapestries. Below their feet, the Petalo King saw it fit to sweep and clean the stones, removing the dusty surface that was present the first time the Hylians arrived at the palace. However, the past glory of the palace wasn't revealed until the Hylians reached the throne room. Sitting upon his golden throne, the Petalo King beamed as the guests marveled at the tapestries that hung from the wall, and the banquet tables that had been brought in. Before, Link had not noticed how immense the throne room was, but now gaped at the size of it.

"The Hero of Time, and the Captain of the Hylian Red Regiment," announced a Petalo servant, bowing as Link and Morus entered.

And the Petalo King motioned for them to approach. As Link and Morus neared the throne, a round of applause resonated through the chamber, and even nobles cleared their path and bowed out of respect. The King had taken a drastically different appearance than before. Dressed as regally as any King, the Petalo ruler's messy beard had been impeccably groomed for the occasion, and jewels decorated his hands. A reddish tone had returned to his face, betraying a man who, it seemed, never stopped smiling. To his side, Prince Eris had lost the hostile disposition during his previous encounter with the Hylians, and now regarded Link and Morus with the utmost respect. He was not the handsomest of princes, yet his brow indicated that intellectually, he was as strong as any. Hera stood by her prince, beaming in her gown the colour of the sky during noon. Link and Morus proceeded to bow to the King and the Prince, but to their surprise the King sprung up.

"Please, there isn't any need for you to bow. After the service you have rendered us, it is we who should be bowing to you."

Prince Eris bounded from his throne and in one gallant motion, seized the hands of the Hero and the Captain. "The purpose of this banquet and ball is not only to celebrate my wedding with Hera, but also the deeds you have done for us. Every person who has been a victim of whatever magic lay below the lake is here tonight, along with the nobles, to present you with the Stone. Thanks to the both of you, Lord Hur, and Princess Zelda, we can all live in peace and joy once more."

With that, Prince Eris handed Link a small pouch. "Open it, please," he urged.

Undoing the string that fastened the opening, Link dumped the Stone into his hand. A ruby rose rested in his palm, a prestigious symbol of the royal family of the Petalos. Link allowed Morus to gaze at the Stone, as well, before turning to Prince Eris.

"And we thank you for helping us in our quest," declared Link, "However, I think it's more suitable for us to wait for the King and Princess Zelda to arrive; They should be the possessors of the Stone."

Prince Eris laughed, "Then, you may give it to your royal family. And for your knowledge, they were here long before you stepped into the chamber. Now, please, wait a moment, and the cooks will be serving very soon."

The King nodded to Link and Morus once again before the Hero and the captain turned away. Immediately, a throng of admirers gathered around them, extending their hands and raising their voices in bids to hear their story.

"And what made me mute?" inquired one young man.

"What did you see? What was down at the lake bed?" asked the rest.

"And how did it feel not having me to help you?"

Link recognized the voice of the last inquirer, and turned to face Princess Zelda. Gently, Zelda smiled back at Link, and the crowd dispersed, assuming that it was only respectful that the Princess bid her tidings. Unable to speak properly, Link stammered as he attempted to address Zelda.

"You look lovely."

Lighting up, the Princess spun about, allowing Link to admire the gown she had been speaking of. "Didn't I tell you? And father permitted me to wear it, as well."

"The shoulders and back are a little bare..."

"Link!" exclaimed Morus, content to play along, "It's what all the Petalo women wear. You will be seeing it more than once tonight!"

"Morus," groaned Link.

Zelda laughed heartily before laying a hand on Link's shoulder, "You really need to learn how to liven up, Link! Besides, what Morus said is true."

"You're a bit conservative, my boy!" continued Morus who was enjoying the uncomfortable expression on Link's face, "And considering how you will be dancing with Princess Zelda tonight -"

"I'm dancing with Princess Zelda tonight?"

"I thought you knew you were dancing with Princess Zelda tonight!"

"I thought you assumed you were dancing with me tonight!"

Link felt his face flush as he struggled to answer, "Oh, well, I am, then. I really am keen on doing so I have never danced with you before, Zelda."

"Keen?" winked Morus.

"Morus!" hissed Link.

"Link!" continued Zelda, "Why don't you and Morus join father and I at the table?"

"It would be my honour," replied Link, relieved that here was a question he could so easily answer.

One by one, all the guests settled down into their respective seats. Pitchers of wine had been set upon the smooth, shining surfaces of the long, wooden tables, with golden goblets for each attendant. The Hyruleans were dispersed among all the tables in a bid for the Petalos to comprehend their culture. Or, as was Link's case, to tell stories of daring adventures, and dazzling sword fights with foes. Up and down the empty lanes between the tables, servants poured wines for the guests, reiterating with pride that the wine had been specially made from the fresh grapes in a vineyard not too far away. For Link and Morus, wine was an unfamiliar beverage, as in Hyrule it was so confined to the rich that commoners could not even dream to taste it. Even as a Captain, Morus was not permitted to even touch wine, as no one forgot that he was only a farm boy, as well-liked as he was. Cautiously, Link brought the goblet to his lips, and watched peripherally as some other nobles chuckled at how careful he was.

And so the conversation and merriment continued for a while, until the Petalo King stood and clapped his hands. The entire room fell silent, and all stares were directed upon the monarch, who also held a goblet of wine in his hands.

"My friends," began the King, "I thank you all for attending this delightful celebration of my son's wedding with the lovely Hera. I must say that these festivities are long overdue, wouldn't you agree?"

"Here, here!" hollered the entire congregation, banging their palms against their tables.

"Therefore, I am, indeed, thankful that the wedding has finally occurred! Who knows? Maybe not long after tonight we will be blessed with the announcement that, perhaps, we will have a new heir to the Petalo throne."

The King was interrupted with another round of "Here, here!"s and table banging. So great was the noise that the Petalo King had to lift his hand to tell his subjects to cease whatever they were doing. From there, he continued.

"Yet we are not here simply to celebrate my delightful son's wedding with Hera. In fact, we are also here to celebrate a group of foreigners who have accomplished absolutely astonishing feats on our Island. Not long ago, we all believed that true happiness upon this Island was unthinkable, as events beyond our control threw us into chaos. To the four who defeated the force beneath the lake, the Petalos thank you with all our hearts. Hero of Hyrule, Captain of the Red Regiment, Lord Hur, and, though she was captured, Princess Zelda, you all cannot imagine how much peace you have brought to us. Earlier, my son presented you with a precious gift. However, let it be known that for your kingdom, we have even more riches to give! But for now, let us eat and be merry! Our royal cooks have prepared some delectable meals for tonight. Please! Bring them in!"

Two claps of the King's hands signaled the arrival of the feast. Thundering into the room, the servants brandished the golden plates as though they were swords, deftly plunking them in front of the guests. The aroma of meat and fruit mixed with the air, causing mouths to water and forks and knives to clink against each other. Absolutely delighted that the food had arrived, Link immediately sliced off a nearby chicken leg and thumped it upon his plate. Starved, the Hero was so close to satisfying his lust for a meal when the questions flew once more. Manners dictated that he could not refuse to address any of the Petalo nobles in a bid to concentrate upon his own feast. The Princess and Morus were, largely, left all alone, as word had spread about Link's reputation as the Hero of Time. They were completely entranced by the Hero, ensuring that their well of questions never ran dry. However, Link was not quite as impressed by the nobles, considering how all the Hero wanted was to consume a decent meal. Fully aware of this, the mischievous Captain Morus made a point of dangling whatever part of the feast he could in front of Link. Only the Hero understood Morus's bursts of "Delicious!" and "Why, we certainly haven't tasted this before in Hyrule!" which, frankly, tempted Link into making the Captain the next victim of whatever tricks he could think of.

"Delicious!" cried Morus one last time before Link's fist struck his thigh.

Grinning, the captain decided that he had had enough fun tempting Link. Raising his goblet, he announced to everyone at the table, "And who here wants to learn a Hyrulean drinking song?"

The entire table burst into excitement, and almost all attentions were turned upon the handsome captain.

"Of course!" burst one small woman, "I am very fascinated by Hyrulean culture, and would love to experience a bit of it!"

"You also possess a fine voice, Captain, and I think you would do everyone at this table a giant favour by singing!" piped another.

"Always the charmer," sarcastically mouthed Link to Zelda, who chuckled in response to the bitterness with which Link looked at her.

It was then when Link noticed that the food was promptly being taken away. Alarmed and a tad frustrated, the Hero wondered why he had not indicated to Morus earlier that he wanted some sort of distraction from all the story-telling.

"Ridiculous," mumbled Link as the Petalo King stood once more.

"Ladies and gentlemen," announced the monarch, "I hope you all enjoyed the meal, and that you have eaten your fill and will not sleep hungry tonight. Yet for now, let us dance! Please rise and let us proceed to the ball room! Follow me!"

The moment the King energetically leaped from his throne, the entire room cheered and prepared to file out. As they passed under the ornate doors of the throne room, Morus threw an arm around Link's shoulders.

"I apologize," said the captain, "I couldn't resist."

"That's fine. I would have done the exact same for you," replied Link.

Music floated among the crowd as they snaked along the halls of the palace. Servants lined the corridors, lighting the candles once again to prevent them from extinguishing. Fiddles sounded in the distance, as the musicians were alerted that all the guests were near the ballroom. Light flooded the entire hall, and one by one the guests entered the ballroom, gazing upwards and about them in awe.

Crystal chandeliers had been cleared of the dust that coated them for years and lit to revive the room. Yet the light did not seem to know where exactly to ricochet, as the entire ballroom's walls were made of solid gold. Link had not even imagined upon his previous visit to the palace that such a beauty existed within its cold, damp walls. Instead, the ballroom shattered all preconceived notions he had concerning the palace. In fact, the Hero even felt ashamed that he was so quick to judge the abode of the Petalo royal family. Most of the guests lost no time, and dragged each other to the floor, intent on dancing the night away. Seeing that they were playing for a very responsive audience, the musicians increased their tempo, intent on seeing all the guests jig. Link stood watching the wonder of it all, as all the colours that the Petalos and Hyruleans wore blended together into an amalgamation of the most varied of colours. Without knowing it, they had formed a moving rainbow that swished and swayed as the dances went on and on. At this point, the entertainers had saw it fit to play an elegant waltz, as a jig was simply much too dangerous with so many guests upon the floor.

"Will you look at that," said Morus, hands upon his hips, "Just this morning you would not have expected them to be so happy. I say, Link, let's be gentlemen and ask some of the ladies if they would fancy a dance."

"I don't dance, Morus," remarked Link, "And neither do you."

"But who will notice?" retorted the captain, "I believe that as long as we participate in all of this, they won't mind!"

"That's very easy for you to say seeing as they already love you. Look! There's a group of girls giggling right at you!"

"Maybe if you smiled a little more, they would love you as well," declared Morus before grabbing Link's shoulder, "And look. Someone is willing to dance with you, and I think you will enjoy it very much."

Link followed Morus's gaze and turned to face Princess Zelda. Under the glowing chandeliers and the effervescent walls, she was even more beautiful than anyone could have imagined. Zelda could dance with any Duke, any Lord, or any other aristocrat, but she chose the Hero. As friendly as she always was, Zelda extended her hand, and smiled warmly at Link.

"They're playing a Hyrulean dance, just so we don't have to struggle learning all of the dances," she explained to Link.

"Yes, I've noticed," commented Link, who really didn't know what to say, "But how am I supposed to dance with you if your gown puffs out that much? Where will my feet go?"

Zelda let out a merry laugh, then took Link's hand in hers, "If you can fight Ganondorf and the most dangerous of monsters, I'm sure a dance with a puffy gown will be no match for you."

"And I'm sure you will enjoy the dance," said Morus, "I'll leave you two be. Hopefully, I will see you both out there soon."

Link almost cried out to stop Morus. He couldn't go, absolutely not! The Hero had never danced with the Princess before, and here he was in a situation where no was not an answer. Just as he had expected, Zelda was soon pulling him by the hand toward the dreaded rainbow crowd of guests. They weaved their way through other nobles, who happily allowed Link to pass through. Once the throng of dancers were in sight, Zelda took Link's remaining hand in hers, and threw it upon her waist. Uncertain of where, exactly, he should hold his hand, Link inched in up, only to find that he touched Zelda's skin. In response, the Princess laughed once more, and pushed the Hero's hand down, gently so as to lighten his embarrassment.

"Different gowns, Link. You don't want to sit your hand in the middle of my back for this one."

"Well, I don't really like the thought of putting it on your waist either," countered Link who nearly shivered as Zelda slid a hand upon his shoulder.

"Shh," let out the Princess, "Just dance."

And off they went, the Hero and the Princess, spinning around and around. As it was impolite to address other couples while dancing, Link fell silent, attempting to divert his eyes away from the exquisite Princess. For some odd and unexplainable reason, she was dizzying to stare at, and Link was not inclined to give off any impressions. From there, he paid too much attention to every move he made, ensuring that every spin was perfect so that he did not step upon her gown. Link was holding Zelda so close that her scent made him nauseous, as though he were going to fall.

The sound of her voice did not ameliorate anything in the least, "It's beautiful, isn't it? All of this."

"Yes," mumbled Link, "As are you."

"And you're looking very handsome, as well. You and Captain Morus were stunning to witness. Speaking of him, look over there! It's such a shame how short the Petalo girls are, he's much too tall for them! Haha! He's stumbling a little more, it's a little comical to look at."

"Yes."

Zelda turned to Link and frowned, "Is something the matter?"

"No. Nothing. Nothing at all! Don't worry about me, Zelda."

"All right, whatever you say. But if there's something wrong please tell me."

The dance and the music went on for an eternity, stretching much too long. Leading Zelda across the floor was even more difficult than Link had bargained for. They had been close before, yet something about this night was amiss. Perhaps it was that Lord Hur was glaring at Link for dancing with his betrothed. But no, that couldn't be it, as the Lord glared at him every single moment of the day, it seemed. Link's head was spinning, he was growing delusional. Zelda's judgment had been completely correct, something was the matter.

It was then that they stopped in the middle of the floor.

Curious spectators were now fixed upon the Hero and the Princess, wondering what was happening. Their sudden halt forced Morus to enact a very awkward evasive maneuver as he, too, turned to observe the couple. Link finally dared to meet Zelda's eyes. For the first time, he looked right into her eyes and she into his. Time stopped, and their pulses quickened. Something inside the each of them was stirring, something had awakened. Whatever it was, it caused Link and Zelda to look at each other as though they were seeing one another for the first time. Yet something was different, something wasn't familiar. What they felt was both alarming, but calming at the same time.

"You're holding me a bit close," whispered Zelda, alert.

"I know," replied Link, "And I'm sorry."

"That's nothing to be sorry about."

Something snapped in Link's heart, and he let go of Zelda, permitting his arms to drop at his sides. The Hero bit his lip, then began to back away.

"I'm sorry," he declared to Zelda, "I really am."

"What for?" asked Zelda, unfazed by the people who were chattering close by.

"I can't dance with you," Link managed to stammer, "I'm...I'm not feeling well."

People made way for the Hero as the latter continued to back towards the grand doors.

"I'm dizzy. Frankly, I'm...I'm exhausted. I can't really function and you do deserve a dancing partner who isn't sick or fatigued. Must have been the entire adventure we went on today."

"I'm not sure if that's it, because that was no different from anything we have both been through," answered Zelda, who was slowly stepping towards Link, matching him step for step, "Although I don't know what else it could be."

"I should go."

"Pardon?"

"Zelda, I-" began Link, "I should go."

With that, the Hero ran out the door and down the corridors of the palace. He needed to head to the inn for his own sake.

And Zelda stood, staring into the space where Link had been only moments before, unmoving. Whispers echoed about the room, and the King of Hyrule shook his head. Behind her, Captain Morus approached, yet Zelda did not see him until he bowed to her, extending his hand. The Princess faced him, rather blankly, as though she had completely forgotten where she was.

"May I have this dance, Princess Zelda?"

Absently, Zelda grabbed Morus's hand and allowed him to put a hand upon her waist. The other guests were uneasily edging back into the dance, bidding the musicians to continue where they had ceased to play. Eyes still upon the door, Zelda followed Morus, around and around the floor. In an instant, the captain pitied the Princess, as he knew what she had just realized.

"He will be at the inn, that's where he's headed. Don't bother spending your night eying that door, Princess. He won't be coming back," explained Morus.

"What happened?" was all Princess Zelda could force out.

"You will know, very soon I believe."

"I need air. Morus, I need air let me go out to the balcony."

"As you wish."

As soon as she was able to, Zelda ran toward the balcony and directed her gaze at the horizon. The village was alive, still, and Zelda was alive, but not in a way that she knew. It was a distinct kind of life that made her feel content, yet sad at the same time. Her emotions were uncontrollable as she thought of Link. Voices inside her mind were speaking all at once, making Zelda shut her ears as she looked up at the night sky. Stars studded the entire blanket known as Night, surrounding Zelda in a pale sort of light that was slightly drowned due to the moon.

The tears came right then when Zelda knew.

"How did I not see?" she thought, "How did I not see that I loved him all along?"

Not too far away, Morus left with a long face. The captain was returning to the inn, all to see how a friend was coping.

* * *

"I was such an idiot."

"Don't be angry at yourself, it won't help."

Together, Link and Morus watched the scene below them. The laughter and merriment meant nothing now, as Link felt he had botched everything.

"The entire bloody place knows," groaned the Hero.

"I doubt it, not many would imagine it."

"Is that so? How can you be so sure?"

Morus shrugged his shoulders, staring out into the street, "It's just a feeling."

"Well, I'm beginning to think that love is possibly the worst feeling someone can experience," said Link.

"No, by all means don't think that. Love is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful things that exists."

"Heh," Link forced out a laugh, "That's what all the idealists say."

"What would I know, right?" added Morus.

"Exactly, what would you know?" agreed Link.

The two men stood in silence, watching the celebrations that continued beneath them. Morus seemed to be contemplating something, as he furrowed his brow, deep in thought. Then, the captain straightened, and put his hand into the pocket of his doublet. Curious, Link watched as his friend fumbled with his fingers before extracting a locket upon a chain. The silver pendant was in the shape of a heart, reflecting in the night as Morus dangled and played the chain with his fingers. Finally, the captain snapped the pendant into his palm, and kept his eyes upon it as he addressed Link.

"This locket belonged to a very lovely girl," narrated Morus, "She had her insecurities, her own faults, but no matter. I met her while I was in the market place a few years ago before I was captain. At the time, I wasn't completely taken by her, but definitely smitten. She smiled at me, I smiled back. That's how it all started."

Morus leaned upon the balcony.

"I saw her for a year."

"When was this?" inquired Link, intrigued.

"A few years ago, and I still haven't forgotten it."

"Are you still in love with her?"

"Absolutely," answered Morus with no hesitation, "I don't think about her every moment of every day, but it definitely is love."

The throngs of people in the streets were gradually dispersing, as it was already late into the night. Link staggered into his own chamber with Morus in tow, seating himself upon his bed. Morus casually paced the room. Back and forth, back and forth, his boots thumped along the wooden floor as he watched Link, waiting for the Hero to respond. The captain had certainly piqued Link's curiosity, as well as his sympathy.

"When?" asked Link, his voice ringing into the silent air.

"A few years ago. We were cut short, obviously."

Morus stopped, and stared right into space and, once more, took the locket from his doublet. "She drove me completely insane, you know? She had this way of talking when she was fascinated by something, and her eyes would go wide and you would comply and be just as amazed by what she saw. What we had wasn't like what Bayas or some other soldier has; It meant something."

"I imagine so," replied Link, "But what separated you two?"

There was no answer. Right outside the door, shouts and pounding could be heard as the last of the celebrators returned. Doors flew open as a few of the residents attempted to shush the newcomers. Some, however, were too heavy with ale to even care, and slept through the entire commotion. The Hero waited for all the noise to die down before proceeding with caution, as his question was sensitive.

"Did she die?"

Morus strode quickly to the door and opened it, turning to Link for a final time.

"Sleep well, tonight, according to the Petalos we'll be crossing a very treacherous part of the ocean. I will be waking everyone at sunrise, which is only some hours away but don't worry about the time. What you need is sleep, which is what I need as well. Good night, Link, and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

Link was left alone in the darkness. Heavily, the Hero pulled off his boots and collapsed, face toward the ceiling. He wouldn't ask Morus any further questions, that he knew.

* * *

The lit candle filled the entire chamber with light, casting dark shadows upon the walls. No indication of life made itself known outside on the streets, leaving Morus to wonder if he was the last remaining being awake. The nobles had all returned while he was comforting Link and gone directly to bed. Now, Morus was all alone. Yet his mind wasn't asleep as the captain contemplated everything that had just been said. Again, Morus fiddled with the locket, turning the metal pendant around for his own examination. He remembered the soft pair of hands that used to take his own hands, his face, his hair and his body into their possession. He remembered the lively voice that used to call him towards her. He remembered how he felt as their lips met. The captain remembered everything, good and bad, though he preferred to concentrate on the former. Even after so long, she was still a part of him, and he wouldn't forget her.

Raising his arm, Morus dangled the locket in front of him and watched as it spun, its metal body catching the light. The captain smiled.

"Funny how you still cause me so much grief, hm?" he muttered to the locket, that only responded by spinning in the other direction, "I can't seem to forget you."

He looked out the window. A cloud had swept across the sky, obscuring any vision Morus had of the stars. The moon, for her part, still managed to pierce the sky with her silver beams, ensuring that no street was dark. Apart from that, only the lone candle from Morus's chamber provided any source of light. There was once a time when nights like these were not so lonely, but there was no use pining over the past when the future had so much to offer. It was time for sleep, the introduction to another day in the Hyrulean army.

Morus removed his doublet and returned the locket to its rightful place in the pocket, and he, too, lay upon his own bed.

"Damn," whispered the captain.

He couldn't sleep.


	19. The Old Man in the Boat

"Get a move on, boys! Come on! No slacking we've got a lot we need to get done before we sail!"

"Oh, Morus, I hate you," groaned Link, wrestled from his sleep.

Soldiers were scrambling about right outside Link's door as Morus went down the hall, pounding on doors or simply swinging them wide open. Along with the cries of men came the shrieks of women who were flung to their feet as the Hyruleans leaped from their beds. It was a rude awakening for most soldiers, as the ale kept their eyelids heavy. While the scuffling continued, Link was roused completely from where he lay by Morus, who was pounding heavily upon his door.

"Up you get!" shouted the captain from the other side.

"I can hear you," responded Link, "No need to yell."

"All right, I was only checking," said Morus, striding away before crying, "Bayas!" at the top of his lungs.

Losing no time, Link sprung up and snatched his familiar green battle attire from the bedpost and proceeded to strip out of Morus's clothing. Right outside his window, the Hyrulean soldiers were pouring into the streets, and the captains were all outside, overseeing the entire process. Tables had been set in order to register which soldiers were present, and to ensure that there were no deserters.

"Blue regiment over here!" cried one captain.

"Green right this way!" hollered another.

The crowd was also filled with Petalos, who were saddened to see that their visitors were leaving so soon. However, they were a very understanding people, and the Petalos knew that the Hyruleans needed to undertake a task at hand. Dawn had only just arrived, yet the entire village was awake despite the late hours they had experienced the night before. Yawning, but always ready with a helping hand, the Petalos carried crates and barrels of provisions, as well as the personal possessions of soldiers. Truth be told, even the captains could not completely hold off sleep, as was betrayed by their drooping heads and their low voices.

Fastening his sword, Link heard a knock at the door, "Come in!"

Timidly, Will poked his head into the chamber, blinking his eyes to fight off slumber. Once he was sure that Link was ready for him, the inn keeper stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

"Good morning, Hero," he greeted Link, "I wasn't sure if I would be able to see you before you left, so I decided to take initiative and come on in by myself."

"Thank you," replied Link, "It's always nice to know my presence is appreciated."

"Indeed it is! We couldn't thank you more for the service you have rendered us!" exclaimed Will excitedly before settling down into a more serious tone of voice, "But now, to business! I'm here to give you some warning of what awaits you as you cross the sea. I have already spoken to Captain Morus about it, however I would like the both of you and the royal family to spread the word about what I am to say next. Oh, and I have also told each of the Hyrulean captains, as well. Hopefully, they are relating what I said to their soldiers."

Observing that his spectacles were rather foggy, Will removed them from his round nose, and polished the lenses with a handkerchief as he continued to speak, "Though the storm has passed, you need to be aware of the danger that lurks beneath the waters. In the part of the ocean you are about to enter, I cannot stress how imperative it is that you, by all means, do not drop anything into the water that can be consumed. I have never seen it with my own eyes, however there are always tales of entire fleets of ships being lost. On certain very fortunate occasions, sailors survive, and tell us everything. There are creatures that live beneath the sea that will jump on you and upon all of your soldiers once summoned. All of the sailors, so far, have been much too scared to remember everything. But, I caution you: do not assume that when these creatures attack, you will pass unscathed. We have all heard talks of monsters that crawl, slash, and hack everything they see on ships, starting with the living."

"And these aren't simply local legends."

"No! By all means, no! Therefore, you must tell your troops to not drop anything into the water, and to have their weapons at the ready. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Will, and thank you. Thank you for everything, actually."

The inn keeper beamed at Link, "Good. That is all I need to say. Now, would you like some breakfast? Georgia and I are about to distribute some meat and fruit to your men before they leave."

"Yes, that would be preferable."

"In a moment, then! Perhaps just stand by the front door and wait there."

With that, the Petalo man bounded out of Link's chamber, but not before turning to Link once more to say, "And so you know: we all will, genuinely, miss all of you."

* * *

"Yours."

Link dumped Morus's clothing into the owner's hands before adjusting the sword upon his back.

"How kind of you to not fold them up," remarked Morus.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you wanted them that way," apologized Link.

The procession of soldiers moved quite quickly toward the ships, as the Hyrulean soldiers were anxious to be on their way. Link and Morus moved with the soldiers in the middle section, talking to one another and enjoying the rich oranges Will and Georgia had prepared. However, oranges were certainly not Link's foremost priority, and couldn't be as long as he could see Zelda. An arm linked with that of her father's, Zelda rested her head upon the King's shoulders, sleeping. The ball had exhausted her, though in more than the physical sense. Nervously, Link hoped that Zelda would not glance at him, and dreaded the embarrassment he was going to feel as they spent their days aboard the ship. The Hero imagined that their relationship would not be the same, as he was absolutely sure the Princess knew how he felt about her. In reality, Zelda had immense doubts of her own, and could not see how sadly blatant Link had been with her the previous night. Paranoia was now a major part of Link's psyche, and was causing him to fear Zelda.

With unease, Link rose to the balls of his feet and whispered in Morus's ear, "Would there be a way to put me on a different ship?"

Morus pulled away and threw Link a look of disapproval, "Well, no because we specifically put you on the ship so you could defend the royal family. And in case you hadn't noticed, all the higher ranked Hylians are on board the ship and you are one of them. Zelda or no Zelda, you will be on the ship."

"And if I asked the King?" inquired Link.

"If he approves, I have nothing to say," answered Morus, stuffing a slab of orange into his mouth, "Come to think of it, he might actually agree to do so."

"Good. He's always respected my wishes."

"No, no," retorted Morus rather nonchalantly, "That isn't the reason why he will agree. Judging by the way he looked at you last night, he wasn't very happy and will most likely want you as far away from his daughter as possible."

"That's good! That's what I want!"

"Link, you need to stop acting like a child. I think you need to accept it and continue performing your duties as Hero of Hyrule."

"Don't you understand?" Link hissed into Morus's ear, pushing the captain away even further, "What happened was humiliating and now things between Zelda and I will never be the same!"

"At least you will be with her," countered Morus rather bitterly.

Link remembered the locket, and chose to keep silent. Some soldiers around them had grown quite interested in their exchange, yet couldn't approach the Hero and the Captain enough to make out what they were saying. Watching the soldiers, Link waited until they pulled back before asking, "What did she look like?"

"Black hair, fine nose. Your typical Hylian aristocrat in appearance, but worth a lot more value than the rest of them."

"Have I seen her before?"

"Yes."

"A friend of Zelda's?"

"No."

"Where does she live?"

"Where all the other nobles live."

"That isn't helping."

"Others are listening."

"Right. Very observant."

"As always."

"But can you give me some clues as to who she is?" Link was very curious now.

Morus placed a hand upon Link's chest and pushed the Hero away, "No. I don't intend on telling you everything right now."

Ahead, the blue line that marked the ocean appeared on the horizon.

* * *

"Make sure the sails don't rip!"

Ganondorf slammed his hand upon the table in his cabin. The storm had crept upon them in mere minutes, and Reiza did not know of a spell to prevent it. As the ships were tossed among the waves, Ganondorf looked to be the only stationary thing in the entire fleet as he sat, arms crossed, in a chair. Frustrated, the Gerudo watched the furnishings drag across the floor, and the many items that were in the cabin fall to the ground, clattering against the wooden surface. Below him, Midna was crying out as the storm threw her from wall to wall, distressing the Twili. Somehow, Ganondorf found that very comical, and snickered to himself as he listened to the thumping that carried on downstairs.

Reiza burst into the cabin, panting and dripping from the rain. She was equally as furious as Ganondorf, and swore as she lost her balance and was thrown into the side of the door.

"The ships are taking a beating from the gales, Ganondorf," she reported, "It isn't looking great."

"I figured," replied Ganondorf sourly, "Terminian ships are, surprisingly, extremely ill-equipped for storms."

"I also wouldn't hope that the Hyruleans are caught in the storm, either, as daybreak is only miles away."

"Link," growled Ganondorf, "Always ahead of me."

"So we should seek a third Island and skip the inn island run by the pirates. It will save us time, Ganondorf."

"I must say I am contemplating that. Although, it really depends on how well our ships weather the storm."

"We will obtain more Stones than the Hyruleans, I promise you that," hissed Reiza.

"Good girl," cooed Ganondorf, "Now off you go, and report to me if anything out of the ordinary and very unfortunate occurs."

"Yes, Ganondorf."

And Reiza left, leaving Ganondorf to chuckle in cruel humour as, below him, Midna thumped about.

* * *

"The ale's gotten to me, boys!" yelled Bayas, struggling to balance upon the ship.

"Well who told you to drink that much, huh?" taunted a soldier beside him.

"No one, I'll admit that. Though I did manage to have quite the night," bragged the soldier.

"I heard Captain Morus caught you in bed with two girls this morning, stark naked! Tell me that isn't true," piped another comrade who was examining his sword.

"Without a doubt, he did! Startled me at first, but I have to admit the way he shouted my name afterwards was immensely entertaining!"

Always content to run his mouth, Bayas continued, "You know, I wonder why he never bothers going after women anymore. I mean, look at him! Handsome man, sound manners, fairly witty, who wouldn't want him? Personally, I think he's trying to prepare himself for Temple life, worshiping the Goddesses as a priest!"

A round of laughter broke out in the vicinity, urging Bayas on.

"Ah! No! Perhaps as a Singer at all their ceremonies. After all, if you aren't going to put that good voice to use seducing women, might as well do something else with it!"

No one laughed except Bayas, who continued, "What a joke, sometimes! He's of use to the army, but not to women?"

"And it seems to be the opposite with you."

Bayas froze, tensing every muscle in his lean body as the fine voice he had just been mocking spoke, "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"

"No?" ventured Bayas, not daring to look at his captain, "Nothing at all."

"Really?" remarked Morus, throwing a hand upon Bayas's shoulder, "I thought you were talking about a specific Captain, am I right?"

"No?" muttered Bayas once again, shuddering.

"Bayas, you tell me," continued Morus, throwing his other hand upon Bayas's remaining shoulder, "Imagine that you are a Captain, and you have a soldier who, since he enlisted, hasn't been respecting you all that much. But at the same time, this is a soldier who really shouldn't have been in the army due to his...desires for other things. Although, you must admit that the soldier is very amusing at times, yet not when he is mocking his superiors."

"I admit it," gulped Bayas.

"So," concluded Morus, "What should you do?"

"...Give him a warning and forgive him!" exclaimed Bayas.

"Hm, in that case," said Morus, walking away from the group of soldiers to rejoin Link, "You are forgiven. Next time, however, I won't be as friendly."

Link almost smiled as his friend joined him, "You're shockingly threatening when you need to be."

"One of my many duties," replied Morus, "As is teaching soldiers how to respect one another."

"Difficult, isn't it?"

"Depends. With someone like Bayas, yes."

Morus was so close to adding on to his words when he noticed Zelda. Quickly, Link pretended not to notice the Princess, who was, on her part, also pretending that she did not see Link. The Hero fiddled with his gauntlets even more harshly once he felt his cheeks turn red, prompting him to prod at the leather with too much enthusiasm.

"Have you handed the Stone to the King, yet?" asked Morus.

"I sent one of the soldiers to do it for me," answered Link, still picking at his gauntlets.

"I don't think it would hurt to talk to her, you know?"

"Hey!" shouted a soldier in the crow's nest, "There's some man in a small boat rowing our way."

Curious, the captains peered into the distance. Sure enough, a man was, indeed, rowing towards the Royal Ship. The newcomer had noticed that the Hylians had seen him, and waved frantically to them, gesturing and indicating that he wanted to board the ship.

"Well, don't stand there! Pull him up!" ordered the King.

"Pwah!" exclaimed the old man as the soldiers pulled him on deck, "Took you long enough, huh? For the sake of the Goddesses, get your filthy hands off of me! I don't need any help from any of you!"

Disgruntled, the old man adjusted his very plain and very worn gray shirt before marching onto deck. His bald head gleamed with sweat, and his boots were soaked. He watched discontentedly as the soldiers hauled his rowboat onto the deck. The craft had been gradually sinking, revealed by the hole in the bottom of the boat. As the soldiers moved about, they all stared at the old man, who had sat down and was emptying his boots of water. It took him a while to notice that the Hylians were staring at him, yet when he did he was not very happy.

"What are you all staring at?" spat the old man, "Can't you get a little something for a stranded sailor? I'm sure the Hyrulean fleet would have treated me better."

"Sir," said Link, stepping forward, "You are on the Royal Ship that leads the Hyrulean fleet."

"What?" exclaimed the man, "This is even worse than I expected! I was told you would be polite! So those ships behind you are all yours?"

"Yes, all of them are ours."

"Bah!" spat the old man once again, "This is insanity! You call yourself Hyruleans and you can't even treat a guest properly?"

"Drait, Ilo, set up some mattresses down in the barracks and fetch our guest some water and food," commanded Morus to two nearby soldiers.

"Barracks?" shouted the man, "Barracks! You house your guests in your barracks?"

"Drait, Ilo, bring the mattresses to deck."

"That's a little better," remarked the old man, "That's what I was expecting."

"Who are you? And why are you here?" asked Link.

"Mind your manners, young man!" scolded the visitor, "I'll tell you all about it when I'm settled!"

"Please, sir, don't blame Link; He has always been curious," pleaded Zelda, who had also approached the old man.

"And you must be Princess Zelda. Why, you're very lovely," observed the old man as he bowed to Zelda, "And you are much more polite than your other Hyrulean scumbags."

"If you don't like us we can always toss you back into the sea," proposed Link, arms crossed on his chest.

"Link," began Zelda, though when Link looked at her she found that she was unable to continue.

"Perhaps I will board another one of your ships, then. Is that possible?"

"No."

"My, my, Link. You are very touchy, aren't you?" taunted the old man as Drait and Ilo appeared with blankets, "Good Goddesses! It took the both of you ages to bring that to the tired, old man!"

"Sir, please sit down," urged Morus, "You must rest."

"I certainly must!"

The moment the old man had settled into the makeshift bed that had been brought to him, Link bounded forward, "All right, now tell us what you're here for."

"Excuse me?" growled the old man.

"He meant to ask if you would tell us what misfortunes brought you here," corrected Morus.

"Ah! Well, he only had to ask with a 'please', didn't he?" continued the visitor, "No matter, then. My name is Eli, and I am your typical sailor stranded at sea. I was caught in that nasty storm you see in the horizon over there, and was washed to a tiny, insignificant island where they told me that a fleet of ships was not too far in the distance. Of course, I protested, 'Why would I want to go and meet a horde of strangers when I can stay here?' Bah! They only wanted me off of the island. They said the fleet belonged to the Hyruleans and that they were very polite people. Shows how much they really know."

"That story doesn't make any sense," commented Link.

"Oh, shut up, will you?" retorted Eli, "Anything can happen in this world, and that is what happened to me! And you accept it. Bring me food and water! You all promised you would."

"Yes, of course," replied Zelda scrambling to her feet, "I will tell the soldiers at the storage that you need something to eat."

"Thank you! It was about time!" yelled the old man, "And as for you two: take care not to ask silly questions. I don't have any particular goal except for you to get me to any island!"

"That's fine. Rest up and we'll give you a boat and you can -" began Link, eagerly, of course.

"Row away?" bitterly finished Eli, casting a nasty look in Link's direction, "Bah! You thought you could get rid of me like that, hm? Well, you are wrong! Completely at fault! I am not leaving this ship until you hit land!"

"I'll tell them to hasten the process, then," growled Link as he got on his feet and began to walk away.

"If anything, you deserve to be thrown off the ship," declared Eli, burrowing into his blankets, "Rude, stubborn, insolent. Whoever raised you as a child definitely had a brat on their hands."

"Whoever knows you definitely wishes you never existed," mumbled Link as he stomped away, "That is my opinion. And why are you actually here?"

* * *

"Wish we had more moments like these where we don't have to work," said the Goron.

"I know what you mean," agreed his fellow Goron soldier, "The sea isn't too relaxing if all you do is work and tire yourself out. Besides, I'm starving half the time."

"You're hungry, huh? Hey, come closer."

"What now?"

"I snatched a few of these from the storage. Daron never caught me. But, don't let anyone see you take one!"

The first Goron revealed an apple he had been hiding in his satchel, the red skin still bright and fresh from the Petalos' Island. Hungrily, his companion eyed the fruit and licked his hard lips.

"And you didn't get caught?"

"Obviously not! It's a lot easier than it sounds, sneaking into that storage."

"You don't mind if I take it?"

"Not at all! It's for you to take!"

"Thank you, let me have it then."

Together, the Gorons stood, leaning forward to gaze at the waters below. There was nothing special about the sea anymore, and the Gorons admitted that they had seen too much of it. For miles and miles it stretched, far into the dusk that had befallen the sky.

"I'm getting bored of all this," confessed the first Goron.

"Same! All we do is jump from Island to Island, with nothing in between!"

"That Petalo celebration was the most fun we have had in months!"

"I agree! Personally, I wish something eventful would happen so bring all the anticipation I felt back!" commented the second Goron, flinging his arms into the arm.

And the apple core fell, down and down until it hit the water, causing the ocean to ripple. Alarmed, the Gorons stared, mouths agape.

"Weren't we not supposed to drop anything into the water?" trembled the second Goron.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous! It can't be that bad! I'm sure an apple core won't hurt. Come! Let's go somewhere else."

The two Gorons had only walked a few feet when a growling forced them to a halt. Their feet frozen to the ground, the Gorons slowly turned back.

Something was climbing aboard the ship.

* * *

"Do you hear that?"

Morus slapped Link on the shoulder, prompting the Hero to listen. The wood was creaking and groaning, presumably under the weight of something that was clinging to the side of the ship. At the start, the sound seemed to only come from the left side of the ship, but seconds later the same noise reverberated in all directions and augmented in volume. All soldiers had stopped whatever they were doing, and listened.

"What is that?" whispered Morus to Link.

"How should I know?" responded the Hero, perking his ears.

"Who dropped something into the water?"

"Morus, pull out your sword."

Most of the soldiers had scrambled to the center of the ship, frightened. Suddenly, the noises stopped, and all that was left was silence. Link's eyes darted in every direction, yet he couldn't find any indication of any threat. In response, some of the soldiers lowered their weapons, assuming that nothing was, in fact, mounting the ship.

"Is the Princess safe?" asked Link.

"She's in her cabin."

"Good."

There was a screech, and a creature leaped high into the air, aiming for Link's throat.


	20. Facing the Sandbeasts

The monster landed right on Link's sword, howling as the metal impaled its taut, thin skin. It was a hideous, bat-like creature whose wings were too deformed to fly, and who possessed the head of a monkey. Yet there was no fur, and the entire creature was made of skin except its sharp talons that had been inches away from ripping Link's throat. The soldiers gaped in shock as they took in the size of the creature's teeth, throwing them completely off guard.

That was when the sky darkened.

Hordes of the creatures jumped upon the soldiers, screeching and clawing. Cries from other ships in the fleet alerted Link that they were not the only ship under attack. Blood, both red and black, was already being spilled, bathing the deck as men and monsters lay dying. The number of attackers was overwhelming, pushing Link and Morus to the King's cabin as they continued to slash and hack at the flying beasts. From the lower levels of the ship, other soldiers were fighting their way to the deck, transforming the original battle into a chaotic free-for-all.

"Archers!" screamed Morus, "We need archers!"

"Most of them are stuck underneath in the barracks, Captain!" replied a soldier.

"Do I look like I give a damn? When I say get the archers, I mean that I want them ready with their bows and arrows!"

"Yes sir! Boys! Get the archers, the Captain wants the archers!"

To Link's side, a Hylian soldier was fighting for dear life as five of the creatures gripped him. With one cry, the soldier was gone, plunging overboard and desperately clawing for help. The scene was replicated at various points aboard the ship, as the soldiers' comrades chopped away. Link swung his blade above his head to fend off an aerial attack, and quickly brought it down, splitting his enemy in half. A substantial pile of bodies had formed around Link, forcing him to spend a certain amount of time kicking the corpses away in order to fight. The Hero spun around when he heard gnawing, and saw that five of the beasts were biting away at the royal cabin, the smell of live flesh urging them on.

"You won't be touching Zelda," growled Link, swinging away and promptly decapitating one of his opponents.

Striking valiantly at the remaining four, Link spun and raised his sword to fight off a nearby attacker. At the last second, the door to the royal cabin flew open and with a screech, the monster was flung sideways. It scrambled to its feet, yet in vain as an arrow flew straight into its open mouth. Zelda bravely stepped out of the cabin, kicking the door close in order to protect the King.

"Nice of you to join, Princess," commented Morus.

"I couldn't resist," declared Zelda with a malicious smile, "And I heard you needed archers."

"Yes, the archers that aren't here yet," grumbled Morus before addressing his soldiers once more, "Boys! I told you to get the archers out but somehow, I don't see them!"

"They're stuck down in the barracks, Captain!" reported a nearby soldier, "There's too many of these things up at the top; The swordsmen can't even clear the entrance to the lower levels!"

"Morus, protect the Princess," ordered Link, "I'm going to help."

Link bounded towards one of the barrack entrances, fighting off enemies as he drove ahead. Once or twice, he managed to stumble over the many corpses that littered the ship before reaching his destination. A handful of courageous Hylian soldiers were fighting off the monsters, whose numbers were so immense that there was no time to even move forward, which was desperately needed for the archers to exit. His pulse quickening, Link leaped high into the air and brought his sword down upon another enemy, directing the soldiers as he did so.

"I'll fight them off!" he hollered, "Get the archers out of there!"

All the swordsmen needed was a little help. Around Link, arrows flew in all directions as the archers emerged from where they were trapped. Loading and releasing their arrows, the archers took down the beasts they saw trying to leap onto the deck, preventing them from reaching their ship. The swordsmen dispersed as more troops ran to deck, carrying spears with them to hand to their comrades. Link ran about the sides of the ship, slicing whatever monsters he saw climbing on board. However, his attention was focused primarily on Zelda, whom he had assigned Morus to protect. A bit further behind was one of the Gerudo ships, whose sailors were flitting here and there to stem the flow of intruders upon their boat. Beside them, Zora fins were flying in every direction as Ruto fought the same enemies. As for the other Hyrulean contingents, Link had no knowledge as to how they were faring as they were almost completely out of sight. However, from the shouts Link could assume that they were facing a very difficult situation as well, amplified by the fact that the Hyruleans had almost no experience with attacks at sea.

From the other end of the royal ship, Morus was ordering that the bodies be thrown overboard, as the corpses were overcrowding the deck to a point where many soldiers were caught, unable to effectively maneuver. Yet only one man heeded the orders, with Eli darting from place to place, displaying amazing strength for someone his age. Out of necessity, Link sprinted to where Eli was dragging off a mutilated corpse, and attacked in a bid to protect the man as he helped with the efforts. As Link kicked a beast and sliced another in half mid-flight, the old man chuckled, prompting Link to address him.

"I'm defending you, in case you haven't noticed," said the Hero.

"Of course I have noticed!" retorted the old man, "What do you think I am? Blind as a bat?"

"I'm wondering why you're laughing when I'm trying to protect you," growled Link, thrusting his sword into another attacker.

"Oh, you're so sensitive, aren't you?" teased Eli, lifting the corpse he was trying to dispose of, "I just find it comical how you could hate me, but eventually run to protect me. Then again, I also find it impressive as I did not expect that extent of humility from you."

"Thank you, then," said Link, "Now just concentrate on what you're doing."

"I am, my boy! However, everything is revolving much too quickly around me. You're all killing each other faster than I can move!"

"That's because they just keep on coming and we don't know how many of them there really are!" snapped Link, fending off the talons of another snarling monster.

"Easy there, boy! I was only commenting and there was no need to be so huffy."

"Please, Eli," begged Link, chopping off the beast's arm, "Just do as I say for once."

"I've run out of arrows," Zelda told Morus.

"Do you have a dagger or anything you can defend yourself with?" inquired the Captain.

"No, my sword was transported down to the lower levels when we boarded. I'm assuming my father didn't want his daughter playing around with her weapons, anymore," explained Zelda.

"Then turn back and return to the cabin," suggested Morus, bringing down another beast.

"And leave you out here by yourself?" exclaimed Zelda, "Captain, I can't do that!"

"Don't you worry, Princess," reassured Morus, flashing Zelda a smile, "I'm Captain for a reason."

Two of the monsters attacked him at once, with Morus deftly taking the life out of the first. The second, however, was ready for his attack and drove forward. Morus barely raised his sword in time, yet the force of the beast's blow threw him backward against a wall. Trapped, Morus found himself facing a snarling creature, who was trying to dig into his skin with its large, hideous fangs.

"Captain!" yelled Zelda.

"Princess! You need to move! Go back into the cabin!"

"I'll find a way to help you!"

"Zelda, don't!" insisted Morus as he drew blood from the beast's hands, "Get yourself inside and stay there. You are unarmed!"

The captain pulled his head back in time to avoid the snapping jaws of his attacker. Thrusting his foot into its belly, Morus pushed, with no success.

"These things are a lot stronger than they look to be," groaned the captain, "Get off!"

Three shadows caught his eye, and Morus looked around to find that three other beasts had selected him as a worthwhile target. Their yellow eyes beamed in pleasure, and their talons were unfolded in preparation for the kill. Morus swore as they approached, licking their gray lips with their sharp, serpent-like tongues. The first creature still hadn't quit, and pressed on, hoping that he would get to kill the Hylian. Bending their crooked knees, the other three beasts were ready to strike. Shifting his weight onto his left hip, Morus prayed that what he was about to do would save him. He bent his right leg, and allowed the beast to come closer.

The other three creatures jumped, and Morus shoved his left leg as hard as he possibly could into the first beast, sending it flying and striking another of its kind. Falling completely to the deck, Morus braced his sword as a second monster landed, impaled right through the tip. A well aimed and forceful kick flung the last in a different direction. But it wasn't enough, as the two angry enemies were rushing at him once again, and Morus could not raise his sword in time.

Two flashes of light, and the attackers fell to the ground, missing Morus by only inches. Link stood before Morus, with Eli regarding the both of them as the Hero extended a hand to the captain.

"I can't thank you enough, can I?"

"It's fine, I did what I needed to do," replied Link.

"They just keep climbing over the edges."

"It doesn't seem like they'll be stopping soon. Morus, how many troops have we lost?"

"Believe it or not, our casualties aren't very high, and I don't think these hideous little things can cause us too much trouble. So long as we're still navigating the ship, I think we should all be fine."

An arrow struck down a beast and sent it catapulting back into the sea. Zelda approached the duo.

"And I thought you ran out of arrows, Princess," remarked Morus, hacking at an enemy.

"I went hunting, if you don't mind."

"Zelda," said Link, causing him and the Princess to face one another. Both blushed before Link could continue, "Are there guards near your father?"

"Only me at this moment," answered Zelda.

"Then I'll defend him with you, once again," declared Morus, "Take care, Link."

"I will! And you, too. Doesn't look like these creatures are putting up much of a fight, does it?"

"Oh no! I think that in relation to everyone else we have faced so far -" began Morus.

Howls of terror from the Gerudo ship forced Link and Morus to freeze in place. The commotion of the battle was so widespread and that it was hard to determine where the cries had come from.

"Was that from below?" asked Zelda, frantically trying to comprehend the entire situation.

"No, I don't think it was," replied Link, "But I don't know where-"

"Oh, Goddesses," muttered Morus, gaping into the distance behind the cabin.

Link and Zelda fought off a number of beasts before turning to the captain. "What, Morus? What do you see?" asked Link.

"Forget everything I said about those things not being very threatening," uttered Morus, "Because only by doing that will you believe this."

Alarmed, Link and Zelda ran to the captain, who directed their gazes with a pointed finger. What they saw horrified them, and changed their view of the battle completely.

The Gerudo ship Link had seen before was sinking, with the soldiers crying for dear life as their bark gradually pulled them underwater. A few of the Gerudos waved their arms, desperately seeking help as their companions continued to fight off the intruders. The Zoras on board the ship to their side were also caught in a state of disbelief.

"Those things will eat them alive!" exclaimed Morus, "Should we save them?"

"How can we?" said Link, "None of our ships are close enough to do so, and I don't want to imagine how many of those creatures are still in the water."

"An entire Gerudo regiment," murmured Morus, "I never imagined."

"Captain! Captain!"

The trio turned to face a young Hylian soldier who sprinted towards them. Out of breath with a face as pale as snow, the boy spat out what he needed to say.

"Those monsters...They're scraping at the bottom of our ship!"

"What?" exclaimed Zelda.

"Yes, Princess," continued the soldier, "We were down there finding more weapon supplies when we heard them scraping. We thought perhaps it was just the creaking of the ship but no, it was them! They're clawing at the bottom of the ships!"

"How far do you think they are from completely cutting through our ship?" asked Link.

"Luckily our ship is quite thick, but I'd still stop it."

"How do we? You'll kill yourself if you go into the water!" added Morus, running a hand through his hair.

Link faced the sinking Gerudos once again. No one was fighting anymore, the soldiers were all darting their widened eyes about their surroundings. Some were on their knees, pleading with the other Hyruleans to save their lives. The Gerudos were no longer fierce warriors; In a few moments, they had been reduced to nothing but another ship that fell prey to the creatures at sea. A few were praying, hoping the Goddesses would salvage them from their watery fate. Link locked eyes with Ruto, and the Zora nodded at him, though the Hero did not understand what the Zora Queen meant by that. He watched as Ruto turned, and clapped her hands. She was saying something to her soldiers, but Link could not hear.

He only found out when the Zoras, one by one, dove into the water.

"What are they doing?" shrieked the frightened soldier who still remained with the trio, "They're food for the beasts now!"

"Queen Ruto ordered them to stop the creatures gnawing at the ships," explained Link, as soon as he knew what Ruto had demanded, "Well, I'm going to keep fighting; Maybe it will yield some results."

The Hero ran to the nearest edge, and fought the beasts diligently, unsure of what the Hyruleans' fate would be. Link stabbed one monster who was attempting to climb onto the deck, and immediately sliced the head of another in half. However, he did not see the one beast behind him, and it was too late for anyone to warn him.

"Link!" cried Zelda.

Once Link spun around, the monster hit him square in the chest and sent him tumbling overboard. Turning in the air, Link managed to decapitate the creature that had tackled him before he hit the water. Zelda and Morus ran to the site, only to see the water fly up as Link submerged. They stood there, speechless, until Zelda began to remove her shoes. Her movements caught Morus's eye, and the captain furrowed his brow.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm diving after him," calmly responded Zelda.

"Have you gone insane?" exclaimed Morus, closing his fist around the Princess's arm, "If you think he will be killed, how likely will you survive?"

Zelda attempted to wrestle her arm form the captain's grasp, "As long as he isn't alone there is a good chance he will be able to survive."

"Princess, I can't allow you to go after him," insisted Morus, "The deck is dangerous as it is, but the water is treacherous."

"Then you go!" ordered Zelda, "You are more likely to be of help than I am."

"I can't," replied Morus, begging Zelda with his eyes to drop the matter, "I have to command my regiment."

"But, we can't leave him in there! Link is essential to our mission!" countered Zelda furiously.

"And so are we," retorted Morus, "You need to learn that in the army, what you want to do is not necessarily the best course of action in the long term."

"The long term involves Link battling Ganondorf, Captain," growled Zelda, gritting her white teeth, "Between the three of us, we are much more expendable than he is."

"And Hyrule's throne? I tell you right now, you do not want Lord Hur to govern without your guidance. And my regiment? There is no soldier in there who is prepared to be a Captain. Think about that," rebutted Morus more ferociously than was normal.

"The fate of Hyrule is much more important than the throne or a simple position in the army," snapped Zelda, "And I hope you understand that."

A pair of hands gripped Zelda from behind, causing the Princess to yelp in surprise. The guard held Zelda as tightly as he possibly could as she struggled with him. Behind the guard, a second soldier approached and explained the situation to Zelda.

"Your father wants you in the cabin for the duration of this battle."

"Tell him I need to go save someone who we cannot do without," commanded Zelda, fighting against the guard that now dragged her backward.

"Your father's orders override your will, Princess," replied the soldier, sternly, "As for you, Captain. His Majesty requests that you continue eliminating the enemy."

"Yes sir," replied Morus, "I will do just that."

"Someone has got to save him!" Zelda was shouting, "If we don't have Link we can't defeat Ganondorf! He is the only person out of all of us that can do so!"

Morus picked up his sword and looked away from Zelda. There was now a substantial pile of corpses stacked in the middle of the deck, and the floor ran with blood. Down in the water, Morus could see red and black mixing together, as the Zoras continued their offensive. Eli joined the captain, looking down into the water, as well.

"You better go, Captain, and carry out your orders," suggested the old man as he knelt near an opening.

Morus hesitated, with one last glance toward the water before leaving, ready to do battle once more. Eli remained, and smiled.

* * *

Link's yelp was muffled by the water that pounded against his lean frame. From below, the beasts took to him like fireflies to the light, and the Hero responded by swinging his sword wildly. The salt water stung his eyes, but Link kept them open and observed that a series of underwater caves dotted the floor of the sea. They were in a surprisingly shallow part of the ocean, allowing Link to see all that lay at the very bottom. Fighting off the creatures that attempted to strike him, a sparkle of gold managed to catch his eye, drawing most of his attention to the floor.

There was some sort of gold chest that was shut and locked. Though Link did not know what lay inside the confines of the chest, he knew it was the key to defeating the beasts.

The beasts dispersed, flung to the side in panic as bolts of blue shot about, slitting their throats and knocking them senseless. A few of the Zoras had witnessed Link being pulled off the ship, and two of them attempted to save the Hero. As soon as the beasts were beaten, Link quickly began swimming to toward the chest, hoping the Zoras would distract the enemies and buy Link time. However, the Hero's plan did not bear fruit, as a pair of hands gripped his ankles and began to drag Link farther away from the glittering chest. Slightly incensed, Link kicked to fight off the Zora, who was very confused as to why the Hero was opposing him. Link was no match for the strong Zora, who promptly flung Link out of the water with all his strength, and watched as the Hero gripped to the side of the ship. It had been a good throw, and now that the Hero was safe the Zora could return to defending the ships.

Eli bent and addressed Link, "Don't just sit there! Get up! Those monsters are still climbing on board!"

"I'm going back!" yelled Link to the old man.

"What!" exclaimed Eli, incredulous, "What do you think you are doing? You're going to be killed down there!"

"There's a chest at the bottom sealed with a lock, it's on a plateau that's surrounded by caves from where these beasts are emerging. That chest must be the key, Eli, and I don't care what you say anymore I'm going back in there!"

"Wait, but if-" began the old man.

But it was too late, Link let go and fell back into the water. Eli let out a disapproving sigh, then turned to the water.

"Well, I can't let him go alone, can I?"

From a nearby corpse, Eli yanked out a sword and held it tightly in his hand. Glancing overboard one more time, the old man sucked in his breath.

"Here goes," he muttered.

Then he jumped, his thin, frail body smacking the surface of the sea. The Zoras were outraged by Link's behaviour, and Eli could see that. However, they had to content themselves with protecting the Hero, abandoning one or two of the ships. The Hero was getting closer and closer, the chest was almost within his reach. Paddling urgently, the old man struggled to rejoin the Hero as he fought off monsters to his side. Where they were, the Zoras were being swarmed, leaving them to defend themselves as Link swam toward the chest.

Running out of breath, Link immediately steadied himself the moment he stood in front of the chest, and poised his sword ready to strike the lock. The Zoras were frantically flitting about in the water, striking away any enemies that wanted to get to Link. The Hero brought down his sword, right through the hole in the lock, but watched as it held. He would have to surface for air very soon, but Link was determined to open the chest. Growing weaker by the second, Link stabbed again and again into the lock, yet in vain. His vision was beginning to haze and blur from lack of air, and his muscles no longer functioned at their full capacity.

By that time, a number of the monsters had wrestled past the Zoras, and were now streaming towards Link. Grappling with their talons, there was a sense of panic to their movements as the creatures evaded the Zoras, who were not willing to quit the chase. Eventually, one of the Zoras appeared in front of Link, only to be tackled inadvertently to the side by a beast. They were closing in on the Hero now, frantically attempting to put a stop to Link's activities. Hands still upon his sword, Link gathered himself for one last swipe at the lock, unsure of whether or not the lock would yield.

A pair of hands engulfed his, and pushed down as well.

The lock jolted open, and Eli kicked open the chest.

Link felt himself shooting through the water and his back slam against the wood of the ship. Gasping for air, the Hero found he couldn't detach himself from the ship, as some force was propelling and pushing him, preventing him from even moving. Black sand was falling all around him, though Link did not know from where the sand came. Eli was at his side, his front completely pressed against the ship. The old man managed a weak smile in Link's direction.

"You are a lot braver than I expected," praised the old man.

Link managed a smile, "And you're a lot more helpful than I thought you would be."

Eli laughed, then looked down through the ocean water, "They're disintegrating into their original forms."

"Original forms?"

The old man struggled before he could force words out of his mouth, "Sandbeasts. A sorcerer ages past cast a spell upon this section of the sea to prevent trespassers into his own land. He was told by the Goddesses long ago that a Hylian would one day cross, and the sorcerer did not like the idea. He feared for his safety, as the Goddesses did not indicate whether or not the visitors were a threat. It's always better to be careful, don't you think?"

"So you awakened sandbeasts?"

"Think of it as a test, Hero," continued Eli, "A test to see if you are worthy of the third Stone you seek. And it seems you have unlocked the ancient sorcerer's powers that were stored in that chest."

"The third Stone?" Link brightened as he repeated Eli's words, "And I assume that's why you rowed all the way out here?"

"The Goddesses told me that I had to somehow aid the Hyruleans. Of course, I brought the Stone with me, but I needed to see if you were worthy of it first. You are brave, Hero, and so you have earned the Stone I will hand over to you once we are back upon the ship."

Around them, the force of the magic had subsided, leaving Link and Eli floating in the ocean water. The Hylians above were gesticulating to their comrades that the Hero and old man were caught, signaling to others that they needed help. It was then that Eli turned to Link.

"However, I was wondering if one more favour would suffice?"

"What would you like?"

"To be taken to the hospitable island you are all heading toward, the one the pirates of Termina now run. I am weary, and in need of rest. Your men are in need of some tranquility as well."

"Whatever you want," agreed Link, "But let's get out of the water, first. It's quite cold."

"I am not going to disagree with that!" declared Eli, shivering.


	21. When Two Points Converge

They were out of the storm, and Ganondorf could breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately for the Gerudo, none of his ships had gone down in the fury him and his troops had undergone during the last few hours. In the calm that now followed, crews were dispatched to examine the ships' parts, inspecting for any sort of damage that could hinder their journey. The strength of the waves had managed to toss a few of Ganondorf's henchmen overboard, therefore the Gerudo ordered his captains to count the men and determine who was lost. A few of the ships were clearly at a loss, battered in all the places Ganondorf had hoped the wind and rain would avoid. Swearing and embittered, Ganondorf paced the deck with such menacing force that a few of his captains were tempted to escape his presence and hide. One by one, word spread from the ships as to how beaten they were.

"Of the East Wing ships, five are too damaged to move onto the third Island. The rest have sustained minor damages," confirmed one Iron Knuckle.

"The North Wing ships are all relatively fine, except for a few holes in the sails that we can easily repair."

"The West Wing isn't faring very well. Most of the ships are damaged, with one whose mast has completely collapsed."

"We've lost one ship in the South Wing, and a few of the ships have also sustained damage."

"Argh!" groaned Ganondorf, throwing his hands to his head, "Do these Terminians not have the skills that we hired them for?"

"My Lord," began the first Iron Knuckle, "You must understand that all is not lost -"

"But we have lost time!" howled the Gerudo, "The Hyruleans are tracking us, hunting us down and now, half of our ships can't even travel the distance we need!"

A silence fell over the captains as they all watched Ganondorf turn his back and fold his arms. They would have to lose time and travel to the island run by the Pirates, Fortune, in order to repair their ships. As much as the Gerudo was confident of victory, he was also wary of the damage the Hyruleans could deal especially if he did not possess a complete fleet.

"Set sail for Fortune, no matter how long it takes us. And begin repairs as soon as possible," Ganondorf ordered.

Without a word, the captains divided, leaving only Reiza to stand behind Ganondorf. Still wet from the downpour, she wrapped a coat about her shoulders, waiting for her Lord. Excluding Ganondorf, Reiza was the most distraught over the necessary visit to Fortune, as this missions was, in her eyes, the brightest and most useful expedition she had ever embarked upon. It defined her life, and she wanted it to be successful. Here was Ganondorf, the man who could bring her at least some sort of pride in her work, and who offered her a sort of future. And Reiza was not about to surrender that chance.

"Go inside if you're cold," was all Ganondorf managed to say, "While you're in the cabin, see if you are able to find a spell that will allow us to pass unseen. I don't want the Hyruleans to sail by Fortune with us in sight. It's shameful, if you understand what I mean."

"Yes, Ganondorf," replied Reiza, "I understand completely, and I will do it."

"Good. That is why I have you on board; It's imperative that I have someone I can trust at all times."

* * *

"As promised," said Eli, offering the Stone to Link as the two men sat face to face in the barracks, "It is from the Island of Bravery."

The Hero prodded at the Stone, shifting the black mound about his hand. A metallic surface covered the entire face of the Stone, shaped as though the Stone was derived from some volcanic occurrence. Link closed and opened his hand repeatedly, analyzing every bit of the Stone as he did so.

"Harder than diamonds," declared Eli proudly, "From the very mountains of Bravery."

"I'm actually somewhat disappointed we never got to visit this Island," confessed Link, "Time is running short, and the Goddesses were right in entrusting you to leave your home to find us."

"Well, you may visit upon your return to Hyrule," suggested the old man, "After all, you will need to return by the same route."

"If we return, you mean," corrected Link.

Hesitatingly, Eli nodded his head and agreed, "Yes, if you return."

"But thank you," added the Hero quickly, "Now we only need one more Stone, and we're off to the Glass Palace."

"I take it you seek your fourth and last Stone from the Island of Faith, am I correct?"

"You are correct, especially as the Island sits only a few miles off the shores of North Fortune."

"Fortune isn't far from here, is it?"

"No, in fact I think we may be there by the end of the day."

"That's always good. Your ships need repairing."

"Those sandbeasts you created really took on our ships."

"I never imagined them to be so ferocious, I only thought that they would be mildly so."

Around the Hero and the old man, soldiers groaned as their wounds were being tended to. Many suffered from atrocious bites and slices from the talons of the sandbeasts. The belly of the ship smelled of blood and of herbs, suffocating many of the soldiers as they lay upon the floor of the ship. A few of the Gerudos had also been transported to the royal ship, contributing to the body heat that clogged the craft. A number of Zoras had also been pulled upon the ship, exhausted from their underwater ordeal. Yet the smell and the heat did not bother Link, as something completely different had taken control of his thoughts. Months, they had spent at sea, however no one knew much of the Glass Palace. Not even Link, himself, could claim to know anything substantial concerning their destination. The Hero watched as Eli scarfed down an entire serving of bread, wondering how much the old man knew. There was only one way to discover the extent of Eli's knowledge, and Link plunged.

"What is the Glass Palace, exactly?" he asked the old man.

Eli continued to stuff the bread into his mouth, but took a few moments to properly reflect. "I can narrate the entire story of the Glass Palace for you, if you wish," Eli offered Link.

The Hero's full attention was upon Eli, who was pleased that the young man sought for his knowledge, as most old men are. Cleaning the crumbs out of his bowl, Eli sat up, hands interlocked, and told the tale.

"As you have discovered by now, the Goddesses had various palaces in which they lived and dominated Hyrule. The Glass Palace was built by Farore, Nayru, and Din in order for them to oversee Hyrule in its first volatile days. A guard tower, if you would like to call it that, of the land. Though the Goddesses were wise, they did not know precisely how their creations would conduct themselves, and so believed that they should live as close as possible to Hyrule. They had no way of being sure that the different races of people they placed upon Hyrule would be able to cooperate, and coexist with one another. The Glass Palace was one way they were able to keep their eye and ensure security.

'Of course, the Goddesses soon found that they had no need for the Glass Palace any longer, and locked it, shut it with the help of seven Stones that they enchanted and transformed into keys that they dispersed among seven Island Nations that they trusted even more than the people of Hyrule. My ancestors were chosen, and through generations the Stones were passed down from father to son, from mother to daughter. However, what my ancestors and the first holders of the Stones never questioned was what exactly the Glass Palace was for. Why did we need to lock it? What powers were hidden within its doors? Those questions were never asked, until my great great grandfather came of age to inherit his Stone.

'During those times, a plague had hit Hyrule, and people were dying by the thousands. The seven holders of the Stones gathered on the island that is now named Fortune, and they discussed the situation in Hyrule. The majority of them felt that aiding Hyrule was, especially, in our best interests, as the Goddesses had entrusted the Stones to us, and it would be a shame to spite them. However, there were one or two Stone holders who despised the idea, and wanted to prevent it from happening as they did not know how to help the Hyruleans. Although, no matter what those one or two said we all went ahead with plans to ship medicine and other much-needed supplies to Hyrule.

'My great great grandfather journeyed to Hyrule, along with the six other Stone holders in order to combat the disease that ravaged Hyrule. Unfortunately, I don't think he completely understood how dangerous the plague was and he eventually contracted it and was bedridden for days with a horrible fever. The Hylians attempted to feed him herbs they thought could counter the effects of the plague, although the plants only caused him to hallucinate. The Goddesses came one night when the fever heightened, and my great great grandfather was almost out of his mind. They commanded him to gather the seven Stones, and make his way to the Glass Palace, and in return they cured him of the disease. They also cautioned him to only do so with his good intentions, for unlocking the Palace under evil pretexts would require a great sacrifice.

'He lost no time in doing so. By then, half of Hyrule had perished, and as the Goddesses had commanded him to do, my ancestor gathered the other seven Stone holders, and told them exactly what the Goddesses had said. It was decided that they would immediately depart Hyrule on horseback, leaving their soldiers to follow behind. Months passed before they reached the Glass Palace, and by then time was running out for Hyrule. Without thinking twice, the seven holders gathered their Stones, and fused their power together to open the Glass Palace. None remembered what exactly happened, but they all remember that after the fact, Hyrule was cured.

'The Goddesses left the Glass Palace and the Stones for times when Hyrule is in great danger. Only the bravest of men would dare journey to the Glass Palace, and thereby prove their courage and dedication to their country. That is, if the men's intentions are good. If they are evil, then a stronger source of magical power must be brought to the Glass Palace in conjunction with at least four of the Stones in order to open the Glass Palace once again. The moment the gates are opened, the Goddesses say that the one who accesses the Glass Palace will inherit the necessary power capable of governing all of Hyrule, but not before a sort of ascension is made to the Heavens."

Eli heaved a great sigh before facing the Hero, "That is all I know, and I'm sorry it isn't much. But, it's knowledge that may prove to be useful once you reach the Palace."

"And that's all I ask for," replied Link, "Thank you."

"Well, I'm always happy to hear that!" exclaimed Eli, lowering his back onto the mattress, "Now, please leave me be, I really must sleep. Wake me when we arrive at Fortune!"

"After what you have told me, I won't object."

* * *

"The spell is set, Ganondorf. Now, only we are able to see the ships and our rowboats," announced Reiza, striding into the cabin and bowing to the Gerudo.

Ganondorf had lounged himself upon the sole bed in the cabin, and had spent the last hour or so contemplating his arrival at the Glass Palace. Frankly, the Gerudo was frustrated, and extremely disappointed that Reiza did not know any spell to chase away the dark clouds as they approached. Nevertheless, he couldn't always blame the woman, and her declaration that she had cast a spell to hide their presence was greatly appreciated. Ganondorf faced Reiza, fumbling with the two Stones they had collected as he addressed her.

"Good," commented Ganondorf, "How far are we from Fortune, do you know?"

"We will be there in about an hour, if the Stalfo in the crow's nest can be trusted."

"Perfect, and we will dock in a secluded area?"

"So that no one witnesses us? Indeed. We will anchor snuggled against the cliffs, where the pirates have no patrol. While the soldiers repair the ships, some of us will enter Fortune to gather some supplies."

Ganondorf pushed himself up, now extremely pleased. He beckoned Reiza towards him, and bid that she sit near his side. His captain was obedient, and did not flinch as Ganondorf took her chin in between his fingers.

"The world will be both of ours to rule," said Ganondorf, "I will be King, and you will be my Queen."

"That sounds just fine with me," purred Reiza, "That and all the riches in the world."

A knock on the door irritated Ganondorf, and forced out a rough, "What now?" from the evil leader at the door. Cautiously and trembling, a Stalfo pushed open the door, and anxiously glanced at Ganondorf before redirecting his eyes to the floor.

"The Hyruleans are not to far away from us," he announced.

Ganondorf and Reiza straightened and looked directly at the Stalfo, who was quite uncomfortable under their scrutiny. Alert, Ganondorf stood and strode toward his henchman.

"What did you say?"

"The Hyruleans are miles away from us, approaching Fortune from a different side."

"When was this? How long have they been spotted?"

"Just now, my Lord."

"So they haven't seen us?"

"No, my Lord," replied the shaking Stalfo, "Lady Reiza summoned her spell before the Hyruleans could see us, as we only just found them this very second."

"Very well, then," said Ganondorf, "Thank you, I will decide on a course of action this moment."

Relieved, the Stalfo swiftly shut the door, and practically ran away from Ganondorf's cabin. War was in the air, and the smell of it made Ganondorf's heart palpitate faster and faster. Here was a chance to take out the Hyruleans once and for all, and to sail to the Glass Palace. The Gerudo would spit in Link's face, and make him suffer for all the times the Hylian thwarted his plans. With Reiza's spell, what could possibly hinder the Hyruleans' defeat?

"As soon as they dock, we're going in to destroy their ships," Ganondorf said to Reiza.

To his surprise, the latter shook her head. "You don't want to be doing that, Ganondorf. Even with my spell, our ships still mark where we are in the water. The Hyruleans will be able to pick us off even before we are in firing range. They're not stupid people, and they will surely distinguish our ships," she warned.

Ganondorf was taken aback by the news. Engulfed by disappointment, the Gerudo still attempted to find another solution, "And if we invaded Fortune, then?"

"How would we do that? The cliffs are the only part of the island the pirates do not patrol. I know, I have studied the area. A surprise attack is not likely, and then what would we do with a decimated army?"

"Why didn't you think about repairing that little detail beforehand?" growled Ganondorf.

"You know I do not have any sorcerer's blood in me. My father only dabbled in dark magic, and what amount I have resides with his potion."

"We'll avoid military action, then" declared Ganondorf, "I can't afford to lose my men as the Hyruleans will surely pursue us even to the Glass Palace."

"Yet you also want to cause a little bit of chaos," added Reiza, getting to her feet, "I believe I have what you need."

"Reiza," began Ganondorf, "As much as I admire your determination, what could you possibly have planned that can ruin the Hyruleans? You said so yourself that your magic is not powerful enough to destroy the entire Hyrulean army."

"Who said anything about magic?" taunted Reiza, pacing around Ganondorf, "My Lord, you need to learn that magic needs to be used in conjunction with more mortal means to bring about the downfall of others."

"And what mortal means do you speak of?" inquired a very skeptical Ganondorf, "What can decimate the army?"

"Come here, and I will tell you," beckoned Reiza, "You will fall completely in love with what I have to offer. And don't you dare doubt me; I have shown that I am capable of anything, and this is no different."

* * *

"Land ho!"

Fortune, the island for past pirates. The pirates of Termina certainly had chosen a successful alternative to looting ships and ports. Pouring their illegal money into constructing inns for voyagers, the pirates found that, in fact, their business gave way to even more wealth than they would ever have accumulated had they continued to attack travelers. Unfortunately for them, the government of Termina implemented new security measures that hindered their affairs, and therefore drove them to contemplate a different, distinct sort of life from the wild one they led. Nevertheless, not one pirate regretted their choice, as the island of Fortune now boasted an entire village surrounded by wilderness, and pristine beaches that dotted the coastlines. From afar, the pirates watched as the Hyruleans gradually approached, their entire fleet of ships to be anchored a mile away from their shores. Urging each other to scramble and clean the inn chambers, the pirates anticipated the arrival of the Hyruleans. There was, indeed, a great deal of money to be made.

"Those must be the most massive inns I have ever seen," commented Morus, pointing to the collection of rooftops that neared.

"I'm going to bet they're well-equipped as well," added Link, "Who knew pirates could be capable of managing a booming industry."

"I think you're wrong, in that respect. It takes a cunning mind to become a pirate, a thought process that has definitely translated into inn keeping."

"Lower the rowboats! We don't have all day!" Colonel Bright was heard shouting in the background.

While the men scuttled and moved about, the Colonel approached Morus and slammed a broad, ugly hand upon the captain's shoulder.

"I assume you will be one of the first on shore, Captain," bitterly remarked the Colonel.

Link watched intently as Morus pulled his shoulder away from the Colonel's grasp. The Hero's friend was uncomfortable, yet the Colonel didn't stop.

"Oh," Bright exclaimed as his hand slid from Morus's armour, "A little touchy today, aren't we? Well, I wouldn't worry so much. Who knows what women you will find lurking within those inn walls, some pretty ones, surely? Of course, there is always the chance they will leave you for someone, or something, much better."

"I'm willing to wager that your wife has already done that," snapped Morus.

Colonel Bright scrunched his rigid, unpleasant face into a terse expression of disgust. However, he did not leave, as the Colonel found mocking and taunting the captain highly amusing.

"Watch your mouth, Captain, it could get you into trouble," hissed the Colonel.

"Not until you watch yours," countered Morus without bothering to face the Colonel.

"As for my wife, you can be sure that she loves me very much. After all, she stays in the house, and doesn't bother to even stray out of its doors. That is devotion, don't you think so? I tell you now, Captain, there is an exhilarating feeling when you know that your wife loves you that much."

"Leave, Bright," ordered Link, "He doesn't need to hear anything from you."

The Colonel laughed maliciously, then began to step back. "Whatever you say, Hero. But let me tell the Captain one thing: Watch what you do, and what you say. He has already been punished for that once before."

"Bright," growled Morus, "Be a Colonel, and remember your place."

"My place as your superior!" retorted the Colonel, "Just you watch."

Link waited until the Colonel was out of earshot, and until the muscles in his friend's body relaxed. It was then that he dared to ask, "What have you done to anger him so much?"

"Nothing. I'm honest, nothing," replied the captain as he stepped away from Link, "I'm going to prepare the rowboats with my men. A good night's rest will do me well."

"Do what you need to," Link returned, watching as his friend left him.

The Hero faced the horizon once again, and took in the sight of the island. A beautiful place, no wonder the pirates decided to build their new life there. Calm, tranquil, it was a place where anyone would feel at home.

Behind Link, the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Princess Zelda was there, though Link dared not look at her. Zelda stood, as though she were expecting some sort of introduction to one of the friendly exchanges they usually had. But Link did not answer; he felt it was not appropriate to. Patiently, Zelda waited, until it was clear that Link would not respond. The Princess hung her head, and dragged her feet as she distanced herself from the Hero.

"It's for the best," Link thought, gazing at the island, "All for the best."

* * *

The Hyrulean fleet had finally anchored, and by the boats the Hyruleans were docking at the island. Unlike the Petalos, who were not familiar with visitors, the pirates were very clear on what needed to be done in terms of hospitality. The women leaped toward the Hyruleans, and offered to carry their bags to various inns. Of course, no soldier refused, and how could they when they were so fatigued from their ordeal with the sandbeasts?

"Only a little bit farther!" a small girl pirate reassured them, "We'll only need to climb a few flights of stairs and I'll have you all settled near the port!"

"A few stairs?" whined a soldier, "Isn't there an easier route?"

With a maturity well beyond her age, the little girl pouted and turned to the soldier, "How can you call yourself a soldier when you can't even walk up stairs? What kind of training do you even undergo in Hyrule?"

"She's right, there!" commented another soldier, "Just lead us to some proper beds and he'll shut it, don't you worry!"

"Very well," replied the little girl, rather pleased with herself for having put grown men in their place, "Let's continue. And no complaining! If I hear one more cynical word you might just be sleeping outside!"

Fortune, though not as aesthetically pleasing as the Island of Flowers, was also blessed with its own sort of charm. The marine town was decked with slightly dull blue and white buildings that bordered its cobblestone streets. What was most surprising was how generous and providing the pirates were, considering their past. There was no need to worry here, as Fortune proved to be friendly with no hostilities. Link watched the procession of soldiers make for the cobblestone streets, hands upon his hips as he scanned for any sign of danger. Weary, the Hero groaned at the thought of mounting the hill upon whose slopes Fortune was built, yet didn't think too much of it when Morus returned with some fruit.

"My type of town," commented the captain, smiling at his friend, "It's nice and quiet here, don't you think?"

"I thought you would have wanted somewhere a little more loud, knowing you," replied Link.

"Not all the time. After living in the City for years you want some peace and quiet," said Morus, observing the rowboats that were still making their way from the ship, "Their port is much too small, though; none of our troops would have to row if it was a great deal bigger. We could just dock all of our ships in one location instead of spreading many way out into the water."

A movement in the throng caught Link's attention, as one of the soldiers suddenly stood as still as a block. There was no mistaking who it was: Lord Hur. His shoulders had gone up, and passing soldiers waved their arms in front of him to try and provoke a reaction of some kind. Breathing heavily, Lord Hur simply stood, frozen, with curious onlookers surrounding him. The ground and air about him dared not move, as well, worrying Link as to what would come next. Morus had also noticed the commotion around Lord Hur, and now frowned as the soldiers repeatedly patted the Lord's shoulders.

With a shriek, Lord Hur fell to the ground and immediately dispelled the other soldiers, who distanced themselves in fear. Link and Morus ran to the scene to find a distraught Lord Hur, clawing at the ground with his fingers. He was digging for something, his eyes wide with horror, yet staring at nothing.

"No, no, no," he mumbled, "No he didn't deserve it, he didn't do anything to you!"

"Grab his legs," Morus ordered two soldiers who stood by, "And whatever you do do not let go of him. Link, we'll take his arms."

"Where are we going to put him?"

"Right here on the shore until he calms down."

Lord Hur's fingers were bleeding now, red liquid running into the dirt. Knowing that he could hurt himself if they didn't stop him, Link lifted Lord Hur with the other soldiers. What they faced was surprising resistance as the Lord became hysterical. He was thrashing even more forcefully than when Link had first subdued him, and the Hero was nearly knocked to the ground as Lord Hur began screaming once again.

"No! I'm saving him can't you see? He's buried! He's alive! You need to let me go; I need to save him!"

"Pull him away!" commanded Morus, "Pull him away!"

"That girl...What has she done?" shrieked Lord Hur.

"Should we knock him unconscious, Captain?" inquired one of the soldiers.

"No, don't lay a hand on him yet unless he doesn't stop."

"She's a murderer! She's a murderer!"

"Can't we talk to him somehow?"

"No!"

The four men were interrupted as one of the soldiers fell onto his knee. None had expected Lord Hur to possess such strength.

"He had one while we were on the ship," Morus said to Link, "He was much easier to subdue, though. They seem to get stronger every time and I don't know why."

"He's buried alive! He's buried alive!"

"All right, men! Put him down!" shouted Morus.

The four men bounded onto Lord Hur, yet unlike the first time Link knew that they could not return Lord Hur to his normal state. The Hero turned to Morus, "He won't calm down for a while, but we can't just leave him here."

"Do we dare to row him back to the ship?" suggested Morus.

"If you need to, I'll do it, Captain!" volunteered one of the soldiers, grunting as he held Lord Hur down.

"And I'll go with him!" piped up the other.

"All right," agreed Morus before he waved over two more soldiers, "You five! Bring Lord Hur back to the ship. The King can't see him like this or Princess Zelda will lose a husband."

"Yes, sir!" yelled the four men bravely, though their faces betrayed fear.

Huffing and panting, Link and Morus left Lord Hur, who was still hollering the most gruesome things. Together, the Hero and the captain sauntered toward Fortune, hours away from the bit of chaos Reiza had promised Ganondorf.


	22. A Little Bit of Chaos

The soldiers were slumped over all tables, chairs, and stools in the inn once Link and Morus entered. Exhausted, they even ignored any thoughts they had involving women as they ate and polished their armour. Through the windows, the sun was setting, ending another day and preparing for another, perhaps more interesting, one. There was no singing on the part of the soldiers, who settled for conversation in low, lumbering tones. An easy night for the Captains, frankly speaking, as there would be no outrageous behaviour to distract them from their rest. Link and Morus were led to a plain, wooden table near a wide window that opened onto the streets of Fortune. A group of pirate children were playing just outside the inn, bouncing a ball about and singing a pirate song, happily ignoring the gazes of the Hyruleans. In fact, Link felt almost transparent, completely unseen and unheard as the children continued their games. Perhaps the pirates were so used to travelers that to them, the Hyruleans were no special group, despite their numbers and weapons.

"You gonna order, sirs?" inquired a buxom pirate woman, lazily leaning upon their table and completely uninterested in the Hero and the captain, "I've been standing around long enough."

"We would like something to eat for now. Perhaps if we could have some sort of soup?" answered Morus.

"Yeah. Well, I don't know what you want if you don't tell me. And please hurry, I can't wait for you anymore."

"Something with beef?" attempted Link.

"For sure. You soldiers all really love meat, don't you? Better eat up on your fruits and greens, as well, I've seen enough cases of scurvy to tell you that," carelessly replied the pirate, practically waving them off as she made way for the kitchen.

"They're tired of us, already," noted Morus, "I thought they would be a lot more hospitable."

"After serving for a few years, I think you'd grow tired of it," said Link without glancing at Morus.

"That could be it."

A pull on Link's sleeve alerted him to the fact that Eli was standing by. The weary old man presented his hand to the Hero, smiling.

"Thank you for bringing me here, I must be off, now," was the first thing he said.

"Already?" asked Link, who had grown to enjoy his time with the man, "You don't want to stay and eat with us for a bit?"

Eli shook his head, "I've got to get back to my Island, Hero. The Goddesses sent me out here to complete a task I have already finished. There isn't anything to keep me here, anymore, and I hope you understand."

Link sighed and took Eli's hand, beaming at the old man, "I do. And I hope the pirates give you an actual boat this time so your travels won't be so miserable."

Eli laughed and shook the Hero's hand, bidding him a fond farewell, "You stay out of trouble for me, then. It really was a pleasure knowing you, and you, too, captain."

"Yes! You weren't as gnarly as you made yourself out to be!" exclaimed Morus.

"Well, now you both have learned to not be too judgmental when you first meet someone new, hm?" and then Eli lowered his voice to a whisper, "And some advice for the both of you. Link, don't be afraid to talk to the Princess. Captain, stop living in the past, you're a bright young man, so you shouldn't be doing that."

The old man grunted as he lifted his newly filled satchel upon his shoulder. With one last friendly grin, Eli said, "Best of luck to the both of you!"

"May the Goddesses protect you," returned both Link and Morus.

"Heh heh," chuckled Eli, "I don't know, I think you will need their powers more than I will."

Eli sauntered towards the door, accidentally bumping into Zelda as he did so. Link watched as the two exchanged farewells, but was tempted to look away when the old man waved to him one last time. Nevertheless, with one indication of the hand, Link sent Eli off on his way, hoping to meet the man again. Glancing at Zelda only through his peripherals, Link watched as the Princess guided herself to a nearby staircase, and mounted to her chamber. At that point, Link did not possess the knowledge that that would be the last time he would see Zelda for days.

"Your soup," bitterly announced the pirate woman, who had returned with two bowls of some sort of broth, "You left me standing here, again."

"We're very sorry," replied Morus in his most sincere voice, "The both of us were saying goodbye to a friend we made on this journey. Surely, you would understand?"

"No," bluntly answered the woman, as bored as ever.

"Never mind, then," said Morus, his charm obviously failing for the first time in months, "Thank you for the soup."

"You're welcome," sighed the pirate woman, leaving the two to their own devices.

And so the Hero and his friend turned to their food, seated by the window yet no longer watching the sun set beyond the trees and rooftops of Fortune. In silence, they ate, all without knowing that two mysterious figures were watching them from the balcony of a nearby inn.

"Ganondorf," began Reiza, speaking from under her hood, "What are the chances that the pirates still hold on to their greedy nature?"

Absentmindedly, Ganondorf tossed his gauntlets into the small chamber they had rented for the night. "Probably," admitted the Gerudo, "They're still pirates through and through."

"Then everything will work perfectly," stated Reiza, gazing at the Hero and a young captain she had not seen before.

Slightly disgruntled, Ganondorf faced Reiza. These days, the woman no longer alerted Ganondorf as to what she wanted to do, leaving him in a perpetual state of uncertainty about the unknown. Yet this uncertainty also made her even more beautiful to his eyes, though Reiza had grown more and more threatening.

"So, you will take out the Hero?" Ganondorf attempted to guess.

"That, and I will bring you the Stones they have."

With that one phrase, Ganondorf's heart had skipped, and now beat faster and faster as the excitement built inside. The Stones! Of course! The woman was a genius!

Except that the Stones were not upon the Hero, Ganondorf knew that much from his spies.

"And how do you expect to do that? The Stones are with the King!"

Reiza stretched her limbs, and leaned upon the balcony, beckoning Ganondorf to settle himself beside her, which the Gerudo did. The woman casually pointed a long, delicate finger in the direction of the Hero. "Do you see that man down there?"

"I see the Hero."

Ganondorf's error was humiliating, and the idiocy of his remark was brought home by Reiza, who rolled her eyes and, frustrated, faced him.

"No," she purred, "The other man."

"That captain? I don't even have any idea who he is!"

"Well, that's not important," retorted Reiza, staring at the captain once again, "What I have in mind, however, also involves him. I won't be with you tonight."

Jealousy. It was boiling inside Ganondorf, tossing and turning his heart and mind. That captain? That anonymous captain? The Gerudo examined the young man, taking in his fine, young face. He was handsome, with a carefully sculpted nose and high cheeks that were lightly dotted with freckles. His complexion was fair, and his eyes were small by Hylian standards, however they suited his face. Long and lean, he was everything Ganondorf was not. Whoever this captain was, he was intelligent, and seemed to be highly ambitious and ridiculously hard-working. Reiza wanted this boyish captain, Ganondorf knew, in a way that resembled her old post as a prostitute in the squares of Clock Town. The jealousy killed Ganondorf, contorting his features into an ugly portrait of discontent.

"Why him?" asked Ganondorf, keeping his eyes fixed upon the Hylian.

"Because," Reiza began to explain, "He has the look of the innocent."

"The look of the innocent?" this was ridiculous.

"If there is one thing I learned in patrolling the streets of Clock Town, it's how to read others. That man down there has been hurt by some event in the past, and I wager that he wants some way to recover, to heal. Do you see how he hangs his head? See how he looks out the window? Those are the signs of someone who is seeking salvation. He is successful, yet not at the same time. In other words, the perfect target. I would have chosen the Hero, but did you see the way he looked once the Princess entered? The Hero wouldn't even bat an eyelash at me. That man, however, most certainly will."

"You know I don't like this," growled Ganondorf.

But, his anger flowed again as Reiza took his face in her hands, "And I don't either, but it accomplishes something vital for our quest, don't you think?"

And a kiss, right on the lips before she pulled away.

"Stay here, I'm going to prepare myself for all this," whispered Reiza, "I will be with you, but follow the Hyruleans closely, yet stealthily. I have a spell that exerts amazing things upon the vulnerable, and I will cast it as soon as the time is right. Give me seven days, and then move. Strike from the back, when the Hyruleans are in the middle of the ocean, where there is no escape. They will see the trails your ships leave behind, but by then, it will be too late for them. You want to isolate them, especially when they are far away from any land."

The soldiers were rowdier, their voices continuously rising as night fell. Their laughter spread out onto the streets, where there were no more children, as they had been ushered home by their mothers. Only one table still sat silently. Link and Morus had not spoken to each other, preferring, instead, to contemplate. They had sat back in their chairs for the past hour or so, settled in silence. The two warriors ignored the din that erupted now in the inn, with various captains frowning disapprovingly at Morus for failing to discipline his soldiers. Frankly, Morus couldn't care at the moment. Do not live in the past, how often had the captain heard that? He had thought about it from time to time, but to be honest the captain was afraid to do so. Morus was terrified that he would forget her, and that eventually she would simply be another one of the many forms without a face that dotted his memory.

But perhaps, it was in his best interest to allow that to happen.

"I'm ridding myself of that locket," announced Morus to Link.

"Why?" asked Link, surprised, "You're not going to just throw it away."

"No, but I'm burying it somewhere once we return to Hyrule," continued the captain, sipping his soup in between words, "In the meantime, it has a place at the very bottom of my possessions, where I won't be able to see it."

"I don't think that's going to help entirely," commented Link, staring his friend, "You're going to need something else to forget her."

There was no reply, as the room had gone completely silent. All eyes were turned towards the door, prompting Link to the entrance of the inn. Morus spun around upon his stool in a bid to see what the soldiers were seeing.

It was all very peculiar.

The woman looked about her surroundings, removing the hood of her cloak to uncover two dark, almond-shaped eyes. She was exotic, yet frightening all the same as she slid her cloak off her small shoulders, exposing even more freakishly white skin. The red gown she wore did her no justice, and only downplayed her beauty. Strangely, she seemed not to notice as the soldiers scanned her as she made her way to the counter behind which a young pirate woman looked to be equally as transfixed. The visitor's slim form settled with deadly grace upon a nearby stool, her eyes boring into the anxious girl before leaning in to speak with her. Conversation was gradually beginning again in the room, except on completely different matters than before.

"Where's she from, you reckon?"

"I don't know! I've never seen anyone like her."

"She can't be mortal, can she? Just look at her!"

The Hyruleans were unsure where to begin. Should they introduce themselves? From her appearance, surely the woman would not want anything to do with common soldiers. They all watched her closely as she paid the girl, and as she straightened in her seat, the soldiers' eyes running along the length of her back. The woman did not face the Hyruleans even once, at least not until the pirate girl returned, bearing two pints of ale. Then, the woman followed, levitating off the ground. Only at that instant did any of the soldiers understand what the woman had asked for, as the pirate girl stopped at the table of the Hero and captain Morus. Under intense scrutiny, the pirate girl's hands trembled as she delivered the woman's order.

"One for each of you," the girl muttered to Link and Morus before swiftly turning upon her heels and making straight for the kitchen.

That left the three of them alone.

"May I sit with you?" the woman asked in a deep, melodic voice.

She waited for no indication of a yes or a no, preferring instead to pull a third stool from another table, rendering her original question completely useless. Disheartened, the soldiers returned to their antics, though they kept watch. An arm draped across the table, the woman analyzed Morus, who felt his heart palpitate with horrific force against his chest. Whoever she was, this newcomer was not interested in anyone but him, the second ale for Link was merely out of courtesy.

"Well?" she purred, "You're both going to leave the ale?"

Then a smile, as both Link and Morus drank from their cups. The Hero was careful not to speak, and also noted the extensive interest the woman held for Morus. As the visitor moved closer to the captain, Link searched for any clues that could betray the woman's origins, yet found none.

"Your name, sir?" she asked Morus.

"I'm Captain Morus of the Red Regiment," replied Morus, easing into the exchange, "I'm afraid I don't know who you are, though."

"And I'm very pleased you ask," answered the woman, "Reiza is my name, and I am originally from Termina."

From Termina? For lack of something to do, Link took another sip from his cup. How could this woman possibly be from Termina? No one in Termina resembled her.

"My friend is Link, Hero -"

"Hero of Time, and of the Goddesses," finished Reiza before she finally graced Link with her attention, "Your reputation is widespread."

"Reputation isn't anything," said Link, brushing her aside, "It's what you do with it."

Whoever she was, the Hero wanted nothing to do with her. There was something about Reiza that unhinged Link, with her appearance contributing to only a small portion of that. The way she moved unsettled him, but the most jarring thing about her was the way she spoke. Assuming that it was only paranoia, Link chose to remain silent, yet continued to observe the woman as he downed the rest of his drink.

"You say you are a captain," Reiza was focused upon Morus now, "And how did you get to that position?"

"Well, it's a long story, really, and I'm not sure if you would be interested," declared Morus.

"You seem very interesting, therefore I want to hear this story," retorted Reiza, patiently waiting for the captain to begin.

Morus was warming up to her, Link knew from the smile he gave her that the barriers he had put around him were wearing down. It was the same smile Morus flashed to those he was familiar with, the extra upturn at the corners, and the way his freckles gathered around his cheekbones. Frankly, the entire affair was disturbing in an underlying way, a way which only Link managed to sense. Why? The Hero did not know, however he chose not to interfere for now.

"How about you tell me yours, first? I think you know more about me then I do about you," replied the captain.

Reiza leaned towards Morus, lowering her voice as she spoke to him, "It's a very sad one, are you sure you want me to tell you?"

At the other end of the table, Link felt his stomach turn. However, the sensation wasn't from Reiza, it was from something else entirely. Morus had agreed to Reiza's offer, and the bewitching woman told a tale of a young girl in Termina who had, accidentally, consumed a sort of liquid that bleached her skin. It was a boring story, really, but Link caught on to none of it as the turning made its way to his head. There was, in this room, something that was deadly wrong. The nausea was the next to hit, and the force of it made Link's hand shoot out to grab the table, startling Morus who broke from Reiza.

"Link," he said, the captain's voice echoing, "What's the matter?"

The Hero gathered himself and lied, "Nothing. I'm just not feeling very well."

"It's quite stuffy in here, is it because of that? Is there something in here that could make you sick?"

"It might be the ale, I don't know what could be in it, though," answered Link.

"Here," Morus rose from the table, "We'll go out for a walk; the fresh air could do you some good."

Link shot up from his stool, very nearly falling over in his attempt. "No, please don't," he pleaded with Morus, "I'll be fine. You stay here and I'm going to go to the shore, the sea breeze might help."

"I don't think you should go alone, you're sick," protested Morus before Reiza settled one of her fine hands upon his arm.

"He won't change his mind," she told him.

"She's right," agreed Link, now bent over the table, "I won't change my mind, so you stay here, and I'll be gone."

Link turned away, stumbling through the inn and clumsily waving his arms about as he neared the door. From the corner of his eye, Link could see that every soldier he passed stared at him with worry, wondering what exactly was the matter. His vision was beginning to blur, though he did not know why as he stumbled out into the streets, almost crashing into a wagon as he did so. Now, which way was the port from where he came? Left, it was certainly to the left. Inside Link's head, a pounding sensation had begun, as though the Hero's heart had traveled to his head instead of remaining in his chest. The latter, for its part, was extremely tight, and hindered the Hero's movements as he staggered heavily down the streets of Fortune. At his sides, the marine buildings from which Fortune was distinguished now took on the most hideous shapes, and the inhabitants of the town had incredibly distorted features. They were trying to stop him, asking him what happened, and why he acted the way he was carrying on. Link had no answer for them, as the dizziness was accompanied by sharp pains that punctuated every movement he made. He couldn't think, and he could barely see.

It wasn't until Link saw the trees up close did he realize he was nowhere near the shore. Groaning and aching in every part of his body, the Hero stopped running and clutched his head. The pounding was worsening, and he did now know what was causing it. The world around him spun, throwing all that used to preach order into chaos, into a knot Link could not untangle. Well, there was no use striving further into the forest, so Link turned back only to face two moving shadows coming at him. They spoke, and Link could still hear them, though the sound of their voices caused his ears to hurt.

"Don't lay a hand on him, she got him," said one of the shadows.

"I wasn't going to. How long do you think it'll take before he collapses?"

"Should be about a minute or so."

The Hero had known it all along, and if it were not for the poison in his system Link would have been furious. He had allowed his friend to be with an enemy, and now Morus was surely seduced by Reiza. Morus was now with the very embodiment of Evil, in the form of an exquisite woman. Link was helpless now, and gradually he sank to the ground until his knees touched the dirt. The pain in his stomach doubled in strength, forcing him to bend over and crouch in an unnatural manner. He had been defeated on account of his own stupidity, and now Link could not fight. The corners of his eyes were going black, and Link knew that soon the darkness would creep over him entirely, and perhaps eternal sleep, as well.

Not too far away, the two creatures were laughing in their sick voices.

"He isn't anything special, now that you see him this way," they said.

"Grab him," ordered the larger shadow, "We'll take him to the water now; Lady Reiza said to dispose of the corpse, remember?"

"Of course I do!"

They flipped Link upon his side, nearly causing the Hero to retch, which he surely should have done. The Hero couldn't see a thing, now, and he could barely feel Ganondorf's henchmen grab him. Hoisting him up, they carried the fallen Hero as Link struggled to remain conscious. One minute or so, they had said, and Link could see why. He was growing weaker by the second, and did not protest as the henchmen brought him along the path to their intended destination. The darkness spread, and Link could no longer see, the only one of his senses that remained intact was his hearing. The pulsation in his head and ears did not distract Link from the sound of the ocean, its waves beating upon the rocks. Louder and louder, the waves rang out through the night, and Link was sure he was a dead man.

He thought of Zelda, and said goodbye as he felt himself fly through the air. The procession was unbearably slow.

Link's senses shut completely the moment he hit the water, leaving him to the mercy of the sea.


	23. The Power of Memory

Zelda gently placed the dog-eared novel upon the desk after attempting to read, but failing to find any sort of motivation to do so. Link was on her mind, and that bothered her. During the last few days, Zelda felt as though she had been reduced from her status of a Princess to that of a lovesick schoolgirl, the very type of lady she did not respect. Of course, Zelda would have to change the latter, as she had now become one herself. But, what she called love could, in fact, only be the manifestation of infatuation, which could recede over time. Yes! That's what it was! It was all simply a prolonged infatuation that would soon die. Zelda was pleased, no, happy, that she had come to that conclusion. Surely, a Princess of Hyrule would never fall in love with a Hero who was also, sadly, a commoner. It wasn't in her place, and Zelda had known that long ago! Though abstract, feelings often acted in logical fashion, and given their upbringing Link and Zelda's paths would most definitely not cross when it came to love.

Or, what she thought was simply denial.

The Princess had dropped the book completely, and sunk back into the chair in the most un-lady-like fashion. Denial. Hadn't Denial clouded her thoughts before? In fact, Denial was probably at her again, causing Zelda to flit in between conclusions multiple times. It was frustrating, really, it was! Frustrating as Zelda could not classify her feelings, and frustrating as she seemed to be missing so many pieces to the puzzle. For all Zelda knew, the puzzle could be completely empty, a blank, untouched canvas just waiting for her to place the first piece.

Well, Zelda was not the sort of woman to leave everything be. If there was one thing the Princess knew she had to do, it was to find that first piece and build the complicated puzzle from there. Eventually, a rational solution would be reached, and all life would return to normal.

How to find the piece? Honestly, there was only one way: Link.

Yes, Zelda was going to confront Link. Instead of ducking and hiding, shielding herself from his sight, the Princess would bravely face the Hero, and speak to him once again. She would re-establish that they were friends, and just friends. They would talk as friends, look at each other as friends, be together as friends, and no more. Zelda was, for lack of a better term, going to be extremely blunt.

Determined to fulfill the unsettling (yet comical) quest, Zelda rose from her chair and, head held high, stomped to the door of her chamber, opening it to reveal the bare hallway of the inn. The plain walls directed her to the staircase, showing her a path towards the Hero and, ultimately, relief. This wasn't so bad, who said anything about this being easier said than done? Zelda nearly scoffed thinking of that. She had no trouble stepping down upon the wooden stairs, her hand upon a nearby banister. She had no trouble listening to the noise that erupted from the main floor. And she would certainly have no trouble with Link.

But, Doubt paid a visit once Zelda was at the very bottom. If it weren't for royal Hyrulean customs, Zelda would have swore. Doubt stopped Zelda, preventing her from precariously stepping around the wall that would reveal her to the soldiers. Oh, no, why now? The Princess was so close. Why couldn't she hold the Triforce of Courage?

Oh, no matter. Zelda rounded the corner.

Link wasn't there.

The stool facing Captain Morus was empty. Instead, a woman with luxurious jet black hair was speaking in low overtones with the handsome captain. Zelda had poured her efforts in vain.

Or perhaps not. Bravely, Zelda dodged soldiers and tables, quickly arriving at her intended destination. Aware of her presence, Morus looked up, and so did the woman he was with. Something was different about Morus, a certain gleam in his eyes, a certain quality to his smile.

"Good evening, Princess," greeted Morus, bowing low, "I would have thought you would be in bed by now."

Zelda shook her head, buying some time while she decided how to bring up the subject she had in mind, "Not now, Morus. I'm looking for Link."

"Ah," exclaimed the woman, "The Hero of Time."

Zelda had not expected to face an entirely different species. The whiteness of the woman's skin terrified her, but not to the degree as her eyes did. She was exotic, yet dangerous. How exactly did Morus begin speaking to her? From what Zelda knew, Captain Morus was of a completely jovial and youthful disposition, at the other end of the spectrum from the type of company the woman offered. Although, Zelda did have to admit that the woman was, indeed, very beautiful. Unearthly so, actually. She was unsettling, but what right did Zelda have to be so judgmental?

"Yes, the Hero of Time," responded Zelda, "Where is he?"

"He's not here, Princess," replied Morus, looking quite sorry he had even answered the question.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't know what it was," explained the captain, very worried, "But something made Link sick. He just stood up and his face paled, that was the start of it. After that, he walked out, probably to the shore because I asked him if he wanted me to walk with him and get some air."

"And you haven't seen him since?"

"No, Princess," said Morus, shaking his head, "Not since."

Zelda was, to put it simply, disappointed. The effort she had exerted in her attempt to face Link seemed to evaporate all at once, leaving her with nothing. Nothing except bold determination, that is, and fortunately Zelda was still motivated.

"Well, thank you, Captain," she addressed Morus curtly, "I'll try and find him myself."

"Good luck, Princess," replied the captain before turning to his female companion.

With no time to lose, Zelda strode towards the door as quickly as her legs would carry her. Outside, the streets of Fortune were still busy, which made Zelda especially happy as someone ought to have seen the Hero. The first person she addressed was a little boy seated by the steps of the inn. Without even finishing her question, the boy pointed to his left, cutting Zelda off and directing her. Minutes passed as the Princess of Hyrule made her way through cobblestone roads, inquiring left and right if anyone had seen Link. From the center of the town, Zelda journeyed further and further away, until there were barely any people left, and houses grew scarcer. But one good look told Zelda that somehow, Link hadn't gone to the shore as Morus had predicted. Frowning, the Princess walked towards an old woman who was knitting a very dull sweater near the door of her cottage.

"Excuse me," began Zelda, hoping that she was not rudely interrupting the old woman.

To her relief, the elder simply smiled and responded, "Good evening, your Majesty. What brings you here?"

"I've got something to say to the Hero of Hyrule, do you know him? Green tunic, green cap, about a head taller than I am?"

"Ah," replied the elder in a tone that made Zelda's heart beat faster, "Indeed I have seen him. Poor boy, he was quite sick. Since you're wondering, he went into that forest you see over there."

Now the worry settled. Foreboding and ominous, the forest rose before Zelda, its dark branches blocking out any light from the moon and the stars, coating the entire ground in black. Link had to be insane to enter the forest, the Hero usually had very good judgment and Zelda doubted that he would make such a careless venture. Perhaps the woman was lying.

"Are you sure?" inquired Zelda, eyes still upon the woods.

"Absolutely positive!" chirped the woman, "But, I don't think you should go into the forest, dear. It's one thing for a strong young man to enter the forest, but for a young lady..."

"Has he come out?"

"If he has, not from this side. Dear, he is the Hero of Hyrule, and I am sure you will see him sometime. Please, go back to your inn. A beautiful girl such as yourself should not be wandering at this time of night," coaxed the elder.

Zelda bit her lip as she stared at the forest, deciding what she should do. Yet perhaps Link had come out of the forest; Nothing could topple the Hero. He must have had his reasons.

"Thank you," Zelda said without glancing at the woman, "I do suppose I'll go back."

Unfortunately, Zelda's efforts would have to wait until tomorrow.

* * *

"Tell me," Reiza purred, "What brings you out to sea?"

As entrancing as the woman was, Morus knew exactly what his line of duty entailed. "I'm afraid I can't tell you," murmured the captain, stroking Reiza lightly upon the jawline, "It's secret, a sort of mission."

"And you're sure you cannot tell me?"

"I'm sure of it."

The two had been together for a while, and their company had begun to bother the other Hyrulean soldiers. Nothing seemed to be resulting from the encounter, yet a sort of romantic tension was in the air about the captain and the mysterious woman. So taken was Morus with Reiza that he did not notice that the eyes of all soldiers were directed upon the two, albeit as discreetly as stares could be.

She was so different from everything with which he was familiar. The way she spoke was darker, and at the same time as articulate as any noblewoman in Hyrule. Her manners were impeccably graceful, though they also managed to be heavy. Whoever this woman was, she was a novelty, and Morus enjoyed the new. Every word she said was not ignored, and for the first time in five years, Morus needed someone.

The captain watched as Reiza pulled back, hinging herself upon her hips. "Is it a dangerous mission?" she inquired.

"Extremely," answered Morus, "Something I don't really want to expose you to."

"How sweet. But I wonder: are you only avoiding my question because you are afraid that the other Hyruleans will think you have betrayed them?"

"Not at all. It is that I simply cannot say."

"And if we were in private?" cooed the woman.

This was growing increasingly complex by the minute. Morus knew precisely what Reiza was offering.

"Well," began the captain, "Unless you find some way to completely rip me from the ground I stand on, I probably will never tell."

"And if I can?" pressed Reiza, now leaning towards him.

She was much too close, not that it bothered Morus.

"Then perhaps I will," the captain ended with a smile.

"How long are you here for?"

"One night."

"Then give me one night," demanded the temptress.

One night? Only a night? For her, Morus would give an eternity.

But, who exactly did he mean by "her"?

The locket rested against his chest, right in his breast pocket. At that instant, the captain wanted to grab it, to hold it out and show Reiza that his heart belonged to someone else. He wanted her to know that as convincing and manipulative as she may be, Morus would not submit to her orders. All that would entail was a simple flick of the wrist into the pocket, then a second flick to bring the gold locket to light. The captain did not belong to Reiza. He belonged to one of Hyrule's sole pure noblewomen.

Forget the past. This was no good, what's a man to do?

He said he would bury the locket, and the burial was to start right this instant.

"Come with me," Morus told Reiza, standing to guide her by her fine hand.

All the woman did was smile.

They walked to the stairs, ignoring the amazed onlookers. She wanted only one night, surely that was not too hard to give?

* * *

He had bumped her by complete accident.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," Morus apologized, bending down at her feet, "I really did not mean to do that."

"Please, don't be like that," she had replied, crouching down urgently, "Don't strain yourself I can get my books."

Time and time again, Morus had seen her in Hyrule Castle Town's marketplace, but until now he had never spoken to her. Until, of course, this fine day when the simple soldier had, carelessly, run into the woman. What was most unfortunate was the amount of books she was already carrying, the books that were now scattered upon the ground.

"No, it's entirely my fault, I'm so sorry," apologized Morus once again as they both stood, "I should have been watching where I was putting my foot."

The noblewoman giggled, "Why do you worry so much when I tell you not to?"

Her laugh stopped Morus, caused him to freeze in place. Normally, no noble would tolerate what he had just done, even if it had been an accident. However, her was a young Hylian girl of high status who was willing to forgive the soldier for his minor crime. Wasn't it supposed to be humiliating for her, especially one who looked all the more noble as she did? Emena, that was her name, the soldiers were constantly pointing her out, though Morus never knew why. There were pretty girls in abundance everywhere, and Emena was no special case.

"Actually, do you mind holding these for me for a moment?" she asked him.

"Um, no," shyly answered Morus.

"Good!" the girl exclaimed, plunking her heavy pile of books into the soldier's outstretched arms, "I apologize, my hair's been falling out this entire time and I haven't been able to correct it."

Emena's marble hands removed clip that was seated on the back of her head, allowing her black hair to finally move. With the expertise of a noble, she quickly gathered her long mane and pulled it up, fastening it with the clip once more. Noticing that her burgundy gown was slightly soiled at the bottom after her encounter with the soldier, Emena light shook the hems before facing Morus once again.

"Thank you," she said, "You can give me my books back, now."

But, something stopped Morus from immediately handing over Emena's possessions. For whatever reason, the soldier found himself replying not with a "Yes, here you go," but rather with a "Would you like me to carry these to wherever you need to go?"

The girl was, clearly, touched. Her pale cheeks reddened slightly as she answered, "Oh no! I've taken up too much of your time and you probably have so many things you need to do!"

"No! I really don't! And I insist," protested Morus, not knowing what he was doing.

Emena took some time to consider the proposition, bringing her hand to her chin as she did so in a gesture that Morus would come to know very well.

"All right, then," said Emena, "If you really insist. I'm on my way home."

The books were already heavy in Morus's arms, yet by the end of the trip the soldier would not notice them.

"I've seen you many times in the marketplace," Emena told Morus, chattering naturally with him, "You're always standing there with your comrades, watching them play tricks on everyone."

Usually, Morus was the most social out of anyone he was with. Strangely, he was at a loss for words at this particular instant.

"What is your name? I'm afraid I never stay long enough to catch it."

"Morus," replied the soldier, "Not a very fine name, unfortunately."

"I think Morus is a fine name! Have you heard mine? Emena. Who would dare name their daughter Emena? And please don't reply and say, 'Well Lady Emena, obviously your father and mother did'. That is what everyone says, and it irritates me so much!"

The way Emena delivered her small monologue forced Morus to smile. She was not like other nobles, who would have been very averse to him.

"But, what can I say when tradition dictates the name? You see, Sir Morus, Emena was my grandmother's name, and her grandmother before that. It's a family matter, really, most nobles have something like it. I used to, and still, imagine that my ancestors had some other name that is not Emena."

"And what name would that be?" inquired Morus, finally daring to interject.

"To be honest, I think our Princess's name is beautiful. Zelda, don't you think that has a ring to it? If my name were Zelda, I would be a very fortunate girl! I've actually said that a few times to my father and mother, but they all repeat how a girl of ten and seven years should not be talking of that anymore. Apparently imagination is only for younger girls. They hate it when I bring books back to read. You should hear what they say, Sir Morus! It's always 'Don't read that! The revolutionaries wrote it and they will destroy peace and order in the world!' or 'You're much too old for that.' But, I think that without books, life would be very boring. You can't expect a noblewoman to sew and stroll all the time."

For a moment, Morus thought that Emena had forgotten that he was still there. That was, however, quickly contradicted the second he thought it.

"I'm sorry," apologized the girl, "I'm boring you. That's ironic, isn't it? I speak of life being boring when I'm the one who is boring everyone."

"What!" exclaimed Morus, "I didn't think that!"

"You can be as blunt with me as you want, please don't be afraid!"

"No, no! I really was listening to you. Although, I have to confess I wouldn't know much about books. There really isn't time to read in the army."

"Goodness! This whole time I have been talking about myself and I haven't allowed you to say anything about you! Please, tell me!"

Was she genuinely interested? Well, it was worth a try.

"I'm not in the army because of legacy. I'm actually from one of the farms right outside the Castle Town. Nothing exactly, really. I've been a soldier for six years now, and I hope to be a Captain."

"I think being a Captain is such a romantic thing!" declared Emena, strolling happily down the streets, "Forgive me, though, I tend to have very dramatic interpretations of what is romantic."

"That I believe, as I never thought being a captain would be...romantic."

"Somehow, I wager you don't even think about romance," guessed Emena, surprising Morus by looping an arm through his own.

"I'm training most of the time, so no."

Emena nodded thoughtfully, "You're not like the others."

"Pardon me?"

"You're not like the other soldiers who hoot and swipe at women. So far, you are my most favourite soldier that I have met, because you're so different and you've got some sense to you. Can you believe I didn't know you sooner?"

"Well, we are from two entirely distinct classes," suggested Morus.

"Of course I know that! But, I used to see you around so many times. You always looked very content, and you've got this playfulness to you that I remember I found intriguing."

Morus felt the skin underneath his freckles redden, "Excuse me?"

Emena was just as embarrassed as he was, "Goodness, here I go again. I didn't mean to say that. That was out of place."

"Yes it was," replied Morus.

Somehow, the soldier's reply brightened Emena once again, "I think we'll be really good friends."

"Pardon me?"

"You're honest, I like that. There aren't many honest people now, don't you think?"

"Depends where you look. For example, my family is terribly honest. In fact, we're so honest if we robbed someone on the streets we would probably return what we stole, not that we ever would."

The analogy made Emena giggle partly due to the ridiculousness of it as they stood in front of a large manor. For reasons he didn't remember, the manor was familiar to Morus. Eerily familiar.

"I'm home," was all Emena said, "Can I have my books back, please?"

Reluctantly, Morus poured the pile carefully into Emena's arms. With a smile, Morus watched as the girl turned to talk through the gates that marked the borders of the garden. She strode lightly to the door, a bounce in her walk. Before she entered, Emena turned to face Morus one last time.

"I hope I'll see you more often!" she shouted to him, "I visit the Library quite often, and I always pass by the marketplace!"

"Then I'll be sure to speak to you again!" replied Morus.

Though Emena said no more, the grin she flashed Morus betrayed how happy she was hearing him say that. The soldier watched as the young girl slipped through the double doors that barred him from her, and only then would he leave. He wouldn't admit it, but Morus wanted to see her again. She was a different type of noble, one that wasn't quick to judge.

* * *

"Take me with you."

The captain lay in the dark with Reiza by his side, fatigued. Honestly, the woman had not been as thrilling as she seemed to promise, leaving Morus to bemoan that the last hour had been a waste. He reflected on how quickly Reiza had thrown off his captain's uniform, and how quickly he had lost himself in her. Ironically, nothing had come of the passion he had felt upon touching her. Now Morus lay in bed with the very woman he did not want, and the captain was perfectly content to ignore her demand. The doublet lay heaped upon the ground, and all Morus needed to do was reach over and grab it. He would reach inside one of the pockets, and pull out the locket. He would examine it, as he did every day, and soon every notion he had of Reiza would evaporate and it would only be him and Emena.

"Did you hear me?" inquired Reiza, resting her head upon the captain's chest.

"No," replied Morus after a lengthy silence.

The captain's companion heaved a sigh, and propped herself up on her elbows to face Morus. In the darkened room, the exoticness that Reiza had previously exuded wad hardly present at all, and she became just a woman who was in the same bed with a man she wanted to woo.

"I asked you to take me with you," she repeated.

"You didn't exactly ask," retorted Morus, eyes towards the ceiling.

"Ah," lightly exclaimed Reiza, "So you were listening."

Unfortunately, she was right. Reiza's words twirled about in the captain's head, leaving Morus to seriously consider what Reiza wanted in spite of the disappointment he felt. A large part of him wanted to resist, yet reason told him to do just the opposite. Here was a woman who, despite her beauty, looked absolutely miserable. She had briefly gone through the story of her childhood and early adulthood, but whether or not that was true hadn't been verified. Nevertheless, Reiza was a chance for Morus, a beacon beckoning him to abandon the sea and land ashore. The light was calling, and all the captain needed to do was dock his ship, leaving the dark, foreboding waters behind. She wanted to know too much, but what could she possibly do with the knowledge?

The captain's original plan to shove the locket deep down where he couldn't see it had, clearly, backfired and pulled him into an ocean storm from which he couldn't escape. How powerful memories were shocked Morus, and alerted the young man to the amount of control they were able to exert. Drastic measures needed to be taken, apparently. The first of those was right in front of him, awaiting his answer as she stared at the captain with enticing almond-shaped eyes. Right before Morus, Reiza began to change, and the captain saw, once again, the mysterious woman that managed to pull down his own castle walls. But why was Morus even thinking of bringing Reiza on board the ship? Was he truly entranced, or was he simply hoping that Reiza would save him?

It was all very confusing, leading Morus to conclude that he needed to resolve the whole matter immediately.

"Do you have any possessions you wish to bring with you?" he asked Reiza, unsure of whether or not he would eventually regret taking her.

* * *

Link hadn't returned. The Hero was somewhere out on the island of Fortune, wandering through the woods. At least, that's what he was supposedly doing, as even witnesses who had passed by Link had quickly forgotten him. Through the night, it seemed that only Zelda hadn't forgotten the Hylian man, as she lay awake in her cot. Perhaps it would have been better if she had decided to follow Link into the woods, perhaps he wouldn't be missing now if she had done so.

But, surely, nothing could be wrong?


	24. A Curious Find

"Thank you, Princess Zelda; Your generosity is immensely appreciated."

Yes, thank you, that's enough. Zelda hadn't the heart to listen intently to the extended and overly exaggerated formalities from the woman ("immensely" appreciated? That didn't even exist!). The entire morning had been a whirlwind of activity, with Zelda holding her nerves steadfastly in place. Unfortunately, the Princess had not slept well, partly due to a very strong gale that had blown during the night. Resolving the issue with Link was at the front of her mind, not some meaningless conversation with a stranger. Zelda did not hate the woman (it was much too early for that), but the discomfort the Princess felt around her coupled with her desire to settle the matter with Link made the Princess silent.

"Your determination clouds your mind, sometimes," the royal tutor used to tell her, "That isn't always good."

But Zelda never listened to the man, no matter how much her father had insisted that the tutor enlighten his daughter to the disadvantages of her ways. She had felt, from a very young age, that the duty of a tutor was simply to teach her mathematics, science, and the liberal arts, and enlighten her that way. None of his "personal lectures" had ever interested Zelda, much to the tutor and her father's chagrin. After all, they were always the same lectures again and again, warning Zelda that her goal-oriented mannerisms would drive others away, which did not benefit a Queen. This was no different.

"You have saved an ordinary woman from her misery," Reiza continued, "I will be forever grateful."

"There was nothing to it," replied Zelda without even glancing at Reiza.

Sensing that the Princess did not wish to speak to her, Reiza took a deep breath and pursed her lips, betraying a certain degree of pride that, surely, was not held by an "ordinary woman". Frankly, Zelda doubted that Reiza was as ordinary as she said, especially watching her stand upon the ship, waiting for the anchors of the fleet to be lifted.

Where was Link?

Captain Morus approached Zelda, planting a kiss upon Reiza's cheek along the way. Morus and Reiza, what a combination.

"The Royal Ship is ready to exit the port, Princess," the captain reported, "We're waiting for some of the other ships to get out of the way, then we'll be going."

"Have you seen Link?"

Frowning, the captain shook his head, "Sorry, I haven't seen him since last night when he walked out sick."

"I should have gone into the forest," muttered Zelda, though louder than she had wanted.

"He went into the forest?" exclaimed Morus, "Why?"

"I don't know, I was told," answered Zelda.

"If we're talking about the Hero, he's on another ship," interjected Reiza.

Without missing one second, Zelda snapped her head in Reiza's direction, "How do you know?"

"I saw him," responded the woman, "He decided to board a different ship. I wonder why he would do that."

So he knew. Zelda's stomach turned and she was embarrassed. Morus looked at her knowingly, then spoke to Reiza.

"Which ship is he on?" inquired the captain.

"Well, you all have been moving the ships around and about for the last hour or so, and I haven't been watching," replied Reiza, "Had all the ships stayed in place, perhaps I could tell you."

"Do you really know where he is?" snapped Zelda, prompting a glare from Reiza.

"All right, all right," interrupted Morus, "Reiza, come with me. And Princess, don't worry about him; We need to continue the quest since we don't have much time left."

"Then when you see him, will you tell him to come speak with me?"

Morus nodded, "Anything for you, Princess."

Once again, Zelda was alone. Link knew, which was why he moved to another ship.

How humiliating.

* * *

"They're moving, sir! They're moving!"

"Are they?" answered Ganondorf, emerging from his cabin.

Ah, why yes they were. The Hyruleans were no longer anchored, and now the entire fleet was leaving the port of Fortune. Reiza was with them, her magic coating the Gerudo's ships with a cloak of invisibility. Seven days, she had said, enough to gain the Hyruleans' trust.

The deception would be perfect.

"Wait until their last ship is a mile away from Fortune, then we will follow," ordered Ganondorf, "Send word to every captain that I want them ready to move!"

Princess Zelda, what are you to do without Link by your side?

Seven days. Starting now.

* * *

The wind howled and the snow blew all around the Island. Then again, where was the surprise? This was, after all, the Island of Ice, due West of Fortune, and farther from the Glass Palace than the Island of Faith that lay due North of Fortune. Every seeker of Stones tended to skip the Island of Ice. The climate was much too harsh, and when you only needed four of the seven Stones, why would anyone want to risk damaging their ships off the Island's icy coastline when they could simply proceed to the Island of Faith, which was more hospitable, and closer to the Glass Palace? You could reduce the amount of travel time by days! The Island of Ice was, for lack of a better term, the Ignored and Not Needed Island. Why the Island was in a perpetual state of winter, no one knew; That was one of the many unsolved mysteries of the Island of Ice. Its inhabitants were a secret people who rarely revealed themselves to strangers. Then again, what strangers were there? Who would want to visit such a cold, dark place? One lone mountain reared its pointy head, stretching toward the eternal night sky that covered the Island, covered with snow. There, the Frostmen lived, a very gentle people who spent their days scavenging for food and making the most use out of their environment. Normally, any being from any other land would cringe at the thought of such an existence, yet the Frostmen didn't mind one bit. They were hearty and welcoming once you found them, their rotund bodies and round faces erupting into laughter at every occasion. Never did they actively seek foreigners, but they enjoyed sharing their joy with any visitors who happened to stray upon the Island. Although, the Frostmen were usually quite disappointed, as they never got many visitors.

And the most current visitor appeared in the most curious fashion.

Two days had passed since a giant storm had passed, and now one Frostmen family found themselves without much to eat. Forced to shelter for the entire duration of the storm, it was now time to scavenge and replenish the food stores. Inside their little rocky hut, a commotion had erupted in the family home, and now the voices of this particular family of Frostmen echoed in the darkness.

"Why do you always send me?" the voice of a very young girl was screaming.

"Oh, you girl!" screeched the voice of what seemed to be the girl's mother, "I'm much too tired of your lack of manners! This is practice for when you live on your own, and you must appreciate that!"

"And why do you always send me with her?" piped up an even younger girl.

"Because you, too, must practice!" cried a man's voice, in exasperation, "If only my father had told me running a family would be so difficult, I would never have had children!"

Pushing and shoving, two girls were thrown face first in the mountain snow. Behind them, a door was slammed, leaving the young ones in a very angry state.

"It isn't fair! You know Haita never does anything right!" shrieked the older girl.

"And Hana is never nice!" retorted the younger.

Draped in their coats (which were much too large for them), the girls glared at one another. In the red coat was the older of the two sisters, whose facial features were round all over, no exceptions. She was a very robust girl of seven who looked to be significantly stronger than any girl her age. Her sister was almost as round as she was, though slightly less, as Haita was only five. Now, dressed in their oversize coats and carrying their oversize satchels, the two sisters sat in the snow. Like this, they pouted for a minute or two, before Hana struggled to her feet.

"No point in us sitting here," she grumbled, "Mother and father aren't going to let us in until we come back with food."

"I guess we'll just have to go down that mountain," bemoaned Haita sadly.

In an act of sisterhood, Hana took Haita's hand, "Don't be sad! So long as we do this quickly, mother and father will be proud! Then, perhaps, we won't ever need to do this for them every again!"

"Do you think so, Hana?"

"Of course I do! And you know I'm always right!"

They were both, apparently, as idealistic as their coats were large.

Hand in hand, the sisters trundled down the mountain slopes, balancing their round bodies so that they did not fall over the ledge. The snow did not bother them, as they were the daughters of the Island of Ice, where snow was the most common resource. So accustomed to their environment were the girls that the treacherous mountain paths proved to be no trouble for them, and in spite of their size, the girls descended the mountain very swiftly and approached the shoreline. The white snow was untouched. From there, the cold froze the waters of the near ocean into pure ice so thick and so strong that anyone could walk across it. Seeing the blanket of ice, Haita turned to her older sister.

"You have the tools, don't you?" she inquired.

"Yes, they're all in here," replied Hana, motioning to the satchel across her shoulders, "And you have the rope for the fish?"

"Since when did I ever forget?" retorted Haita so sweetly that her sister smiled in spite of the harsh weather.

Hand in hand, the sisters trod on the ice, their heavy boots clunking against the surface. They proceeded slowly, so as not to inadvertently crack the ice. The snow encircled them, the wind struck their faces like little pins, but their hunger drove them on until the sisters were halfway across the ice sheet. Excitedly, Haita tugged at her sister's sleeve.

"Can I cut the ice this time?" she asked.

Without hesitating, Hana dug inside her satchel and extracted a small knife, "Remember to cut slowly, though; We don't want the entire ice to crack, you know what happens then?"

Haita let out a hearty giggle, before exclaiming, "Uh oh!"

"That's right, uh oh. And we don't want that!"

Hana baited the string while she watched Haita break the ice. She looked on proudly as her younger sister drew a large circle before digging. Like her mother had taught her, Hana had taught Haita the customs; Her achievements were Hana's achievements. Thinking that, Hana smiled and concentrated on the string. That is, until she noticed that Haita had stopped, and lifted her head to look into the distance.

"Haita, what are you doing? Get back to your job!"

"Over there! Do you see it?" exclaimed Haita, pointing energetically in front of her.

"See what?"

"You aren't going to be able to see unless you actually look!" scolded the younger sibling, "Don't you see? There's something at the edge of the ice!"

Hana squinted and leaned forward. She was about to disregard her sister's observation for hallucination when the snow began to dissolve, and sure enough a dark figure was at the edge of the ice sheet. Straightening in surprise, Hana addressed Haita.

"You're right! Who is that?"

"Only one way to find out!" answered Haita, taking Hana's hand.

Before Hana could protest, her sister was leading her out towards the sea, abandoning their possessions in a heap by the knife that still lay in the ice. The sisters had never run so fast before, their curiosity pushing them forward. It seemed an eternity before they reached the figure, but now they saw who it was. A man in green had his upper torso slumped upon the ice, his legs in the water. The ocean waves forced him into the ice sheet, and the snow covered him in a cold, white blanket. Whoever he was, the man was unconscious, unresponsive and weak. Ice had begun to form upon his body, and his skin was as pale as the snow, distinguished from the latter only by the sickly green and blue tones that marked his arms, face, and neck. The sisters stood there in shock; They had never seen a man of his race. He was strong, though leaner than any of the Frostmen, and most likely much taller as well. Unlike the roundness of the Frostmen, a sharp nose was plastered upon a fine face whose jaw was well marked. He was a warrior of some sort, yet he carried no weapons, and no shield with him.

Haita shifted from one foot to the other as Hana approached the man, laying a hand upon his golden hair, dotted with icicles. The older sister confirmed to the younger that the man could not respond, and beckoned her sister. As Haita drew near, Hana examined the man's face, mouth gaping in alarm.

"He's been poisoned!" she cried.

"How would you know?" inquired an alarmed Haita.

"Look! His skin!"

The younger sister pursed her lips together and frowned, "Maybe he's just cold! People go green and blue when they're cold, you know!"

"Not that kind of green!" mentioned Hana, taking the man's hand in hers and examining his palm, "Yup! He's been poisoned! We have to take him back, Haita!"

"Take him back?" gulped Haita, "He might be dangerous!"

"No, he isn't dangerous. He's not the kind of man who would be dangerous."

"And what do you know?"

"More than you do!"

"Would mother mind?"

"Well, if we don't take him back, he'll either die of poison or he'll die from the cold," explained Hana, "We need to help him!"

"Wait, Hana! What's that on his left hand?"

The sisters moved to the man's other side, and observed that the top of the man's left hand bore a curious symbol. It was also green in colour, but a very earthly green that took the shape of two triangles, with one at the center of the other. The girls had never seen anything like this before, but it frightened them. Alarmed, Hana gripped his arm tightly.

"He's definitely poisoned! I don't know what kind of plant makes your hand get those triangles, but it can't be good! Go take his other arm, and when I count to three, we're going to pull!"

"And food?" Haita reminded her sister before taking the man's arm.

"That will have to wait! Now, one...two...three!"

Their first effort produced no tangible results, and the man did not budge forward an inch. Bracing themselves in the ice, the sister's pulled again. The man was very heavy, and they panted as they tugged until finally, with one last breath, the man was on the ice, feet and all. Exhausted, Hana looked at the man's hand once again before jumping up in horror.

"It's showing up even more, now!" she shrieked, "Haita, we've got to get him back to mother!"

"Across the ice and up the mountain?"

"Of course! Who else can help him besides us?"

"Oh, all right then," resigned Haita.

"The girls are taking a very long time, don't you think, Bo?"

Mani's husband did not reply, settling his very loaded body upon a carpet that lay upon the ground. The storm had left him in a sour mood, to the point where Bo did not even want to speak to his wife, who he loved dearly. Hand upon her wide hips, Mani attempted to address him another time.

"Bo," she repeated sternly, "The girls aren't back."

"They're fully capable, have a little faith in them, will you?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Mani continued to clean the simple little rock hut. Cooking utensils hung along the walls, and tiny little cots upon the floor marked where the girls slept. A fire burned in the center of the space, easily illuminating the hut with the low ceiling. Mani took great pride in her little abode, and often improved it to make it look as homely as possible. In fact, so proud was she of her achievements that she did not quite understand how her husband could be so ill-tempered despite all the colour and texture that decorated their home.

"What's wrong, Bo?"

At that, Bo flung his back onto the carpet, and let out a deep breath. Mani was correct in assuming that something was bothering him, but he wasn't sure how to tell her.

"A dream," was all he said.

"What sort of dream? I didn't think you were the type of man to be bothered by dreams."

"Well, apparently I am. Especially when the dreams contain things that I just don't understand."

"Like what?"

Bo allowed a sigh to escape his lips as he recalled the dream, "Do we know three women named Farore, Nayru, and Din?"

"Farore, Nayru, and Din? Those aren't very nice-sounding names," commented Mani who was, secretly, more curious than she pretended to be.

"That's what I thought. To make things even more complicated, apparently this Farore, Nayru, and Din are Goddesses of Hyrule."

"Hyrule? What does Hyrule have to do with us? I doubt anyone has ever visited Hyrule for generations!"

"That's what I thought!" repeated Bo, exasperated, "None of this makes sense! Something about this Hero of Time, and how we should help this Hero of Time, and a whole lot of ridiculous nonsense! Evil forces marching to the Glass Palace? I don't believe it!"

"I never knew Hyrule had Goddesses, let alone evil forces are marching to the Glass Palace."

"Neither did I! They were talking about this Hero appearing on our shores, and bearing the symbol of the Triforce."

"What is a Triforce?"

"That's what I thought! I saw it, though, the symbol. Some hideous shape with two triangles. Apparently we will know the Hero because he is a Hyrulean who bears a green symbol, which represents Courage, apparently."

"Anyone who dares to even approach our Island is courageous."

"Well, apparently we have to take care of this Hero, whoever he is. They also say some others will be helping him on his quest and will arrive at our Island, as well."

"What?" exclaimed Mani, "Others? What others?"

"How am I supposed to know what others? I'm only the person who had the dream! I have decided that tomorrow, I am going to see the Elder and tell him all about this! The wise man should know something about it."

"Mother! Father!"

"Aha! There they are!" joyously remarked Mani, "I was so worried about the both of them."

But a surprise awaited Mani the moment she opened the door. Before she could even see the man, Hana and Haita jumped upon their mother and began to yell.

"You've got to help him, mother! He's been poisoned!"

"And he's freezing!"

"He's going to die if we don't!"

"We found him when we were trying to fish!"

"Sorry we never did!"

"But we had to help him!"

"He's dying! I don't know how much time he has left!"

"Or maybe he is dead!"

"Please don't let him be dead, we tried so hard to save him!"

"All right, that's enough now, girls! Please, calm down!" scolded Mani before looking at the stranger.

"My," she continued, "He is rather...tall..."

"Who is rather tall?" shouted Bo from inside.

"Father! Father!" cried the girls as they rushed to tell their father all about the man in green while Mani examined him.

"You poor thing," she remarked, feeling the man's faintly-beating pulse, "You have been poisoned, my daughters weren't misinformed."

Placing her arms around the man's waist, Mani heaved the stranger into the hut, kicking the door shut behind her. He was unexpectedly light for someone his size, something Mani observed as she lowered the man onto her own cot. Analyzing his face, the Frostwoman calculated that the stranger had five hours to live if she didn't do something now. Taking her hands, Mani removed the man's tunic and the shirt he wore underneath to examine his chest.

Limeplant. He had been poisoned with Limeplant. The realization almost made Mani laugh as whoever had attempted to kill this stranger was obviously not informed about the dosage of Limeplant he needed in order to be killed. This man was strong, and the dose was too light. Mani's family watched as she rushed about their little hut, pulling a whole collection of herbs from the makeshift wooden cupboards.

"Quick!" she indicated to Hana, "Bring me a stone bowl and something I can use to pound the herbs!"

"And me?" piped Haita eagerly.

"Go out and melt some snow for water! But, while you're here now get a blanket and drape it over whoever this man is or he'll die of cold."

"Goodness, what has happened to you?" whispered Bo, stricken by the pale man.

"Keep your eye on him, Bo!" screeched Mani as she pounded the herbs, "If anything happens to him, you need to tell me!"

Mani and her daughters flitted about the hut in urgency, trying to save the stranger. Mixing water with the herbs, Mani ran to the man and opened his mouth.

"Bo, you need to hold him in place."

"What! Why?"

"This will surely have some side effects," explained Mani before pouring the hot liquid into the man's mouth, "Depending on how poisoned he is, it could be nasty."

"Will he die?" pitifully asked Haita.

"No, don't you worry, sweetheart. He won't die, he just won't be feeling as well as he should be. Now, we need to wait for the antidote to enter his blood, shouldn't be too long."

The stranger was fascinating, and the entire family could not help but look at him as he lay still. That is, until they felt him twitch. At the first instance, Mani and Bo gripped the man.

"Hold on tight!" ordered Mani.

Soon, the stranger was shaking, though still unconscious. Mani had been right, because soon the man's entire body was attempting to thrash, a natural reaction to the unpleasant substance the Frostwoman had fed him. His skin began to warm, and the green and blue that marked it began to disappear. Sweat beaded the stranger's brow as the herbs Mani concocted for him destroyed the traces of Limeplant in his system. Seeing him, Bo was very thankful that the man was not awake.

Gradually, the stranger grew still, allowing the entire family to relax. They slackened their muscles and watched as the man lay upon the cot, unmoving. He wouldn't wake up for another few hours or so, but Mani was going to make sure that she was awake, waiting for him. The foreigner deserved an explanation of what happened. At the same time, the Frostmen also wanted to know what had taken place to put him in such a state.

"Well, that's done," chuckled Mani, wiping sweat from her brow, "Wasn't as bad as I had expected."

"Strange day," added Bo, "First a dream, then some man we don't even know."

Then, Bo saw the man's hand, and his eyes widened in disbelief. The Frostman had been calm this entire time, but now chose to leap into the air in shock, waving his arms about as he shouted.

"Goodness! It's the Hero of Time!"

"What, father, what Hero of Time?"

"It's the man the Goddesses told me about!"

"What Goddesses!"

"Bo, are you sure?"

"It was that same symbol! Those triangles!"

"I thought it meant that he was poisoned!"

"Well he was! But this is a different matter entirely!"

"What's wrong with him now!"

The family was growing louder and louder, as excitement and surprise conquered them.

"Haita, Hana, you need to go to the Elder right now and tell him to come on down to where we are!"

"Why me, again? I just came back!"

"Be quiet and listen to me!" hollered Bo, "Do as I say. This is a serious matter!"

"Why, father?"

"No questions!"

"Why, mother?"

"How should I know? All your father had was some nonsensical dream that, apparently, is true!"

"The Hero of Time! Goodness! And to think he ended up under our roof!"

"Girls! What are you doing? Your father told you to run to the Elder so do it!"

"But it's so cold outside."

"Silence! Go now!"

Another series of clanging and crashing occurred before the door to the hut swung open. Once again, Haita and Hana were thrown outside, leaving their parents alone with the stranger.


	25. Involuntary Treason

How long had he been gone?

Link opened his eyes to find a man and a woman staring at him. The Hero hadn't seen people like them before, and wondered where he was. Where was his sword, where was his shield?

"He woke up a lot later than I expected him to," rang the woman's voice.

"Is he fine now?" asked the man uncertainly.

No, Link was not fine. The Hero had taken the time to look around and examine his surroundings and he knew he was not on a ship. What had happened? He needed to get back on the ship! Surely, Ganondorf was going to the Glass Palace at the very instant!

"I'm not supposed to be here!" cried Link, shooting up from the bed and making his way towards the door, "What's happening?"

Before Link could even reach the entrance, the man and the woman tackled him to the ground, restraining him. Who were these people? Why were they keeping him here? Was he a prisoner? And where was Zelda? And Morus? Was he still at Fortune?

"You can't leave!" the man was hollering, "You'll freeze out there! They call this the Island of Ice for a reason, my boy!"

Island of Ice? Link was on the Island of Ice?

"Not to mention we've just nursed you from being poisoned!" remarked the woman, "The least you can do is help us let you recover!"

Poisoned? That's what had happened!

"Where are the other Hyruleans?" Link asked the man and woman once they threw him back onto the cot and held him down.

"The Goddesses weren't lying," commented the man.

"Goddesses? What did the Goddesses say to you? Or do you mean your own Goddesses?"

"He's a lot feistier than I imagined," continued the man, "Tell me: how did you get here?"

"Who are you?"

"Come on now, dear," interjected the woman, "We're here to help."

"Why am I not on a ship?" shouted Link, alarmed.

"Who else was with you?" retorted Bo, raising his voice.

"Who are you?" replied Link.

"Are you the Hero of Time?" answered Bo.

"Why are you keeping me here?"

"Why don't you answer my questions?"

"Why are you both shouting?"

The confusion continued and mounted in intensity until the man slapped his hand against Link's mouth, pinning the Hero against the rock wall.

"I understand that you are confused and want to know what has happened to you but we can't help you unless we know what you remember!" interrupted the man, "My name is Bo, this is my wife Mani, and we are of the Frostmen who live on the Island of Ice. If you answer the questions we have for you, we will answer any questions you have for us. Do you understand?"

"Goodness, Bo!" exclaimed Mani, frantically removing her husband's hands from pinning Link, "Let him ask first! Can you imagine how he feels right now? He's confused, and possibly frightened as well!"

"Not frightened, but confused? Yes," added Link, "Personally, I would listen to your wife; Women are always right."

"I like him already," commented Mani before a warming glance from Bo silenced her.

"All right, then, go ahead! Ask away!" growled Bo menacingly.

Removing his hands from Link, the Frostman folded his arms and sat squarely upon the floor. Link realized that he much preferred to speak directly to the woman. And so, staring right at Mani and still dizzy from his unconsciousness, the Hero asked what he needed answered.

"Where did you find me?" was the first inquiry.

"Our daughters did, actually. According to them, you had been swept up right onto the ice from the ocean. Frankly, I'm surprised you didn't die; most people would have," gently replied Mani.

"Not to mention you were poisoned," interjected Bo, much more diplomatic than before, "Hana and Haita dragged you all the way from the shore to these mountain slopes."

"What was I poisoned with?" the entire matter was overwhelming.

"Limeplant," responded Mani, "Fortunately, whoever fed you the dose did not realize how physically strong your body is, and they didn't give you enough to kill you. What would have killed you was staying out in the cold. All I had to do was feed you a few herbs from last spring and you awoke."

Link felt uncomfortable, and extremely uneasy. There was only one more question he wanted answered, and it was the most important one of all.

"How long have I been here?"

"Well, we didn't expect you to take so long to recover, but you have been with us for six days. We tried to invite the village elder to come see you, but you wouldn't wake up so he's coming tomorrow," answered Bo.

"Dear, what's wrong?" asked Mani.

The Hero buried his head in his hands. Two days. He had been gone two days and the Hyrulean fleet was surely on its way to the Glass Palace with that woman in tow. There was no longer any doubt that she was working for Ganondorf, and who knew what she would do while she was with the Hyrulean fleet. Link was ashamed that he had so easily allowed himself to be duped, and hopeless as he knew the Hyruleans were far away.

"You wouldn't happen to have any boats, would you?" the Hero sadly asked the Frostmen.

"I'm sorry, dear, we don't; the Frostmen never leave the Island."

"I have to find the Hyruleans," mumbled Link, "I'm supposed to be with my people."

The Frostmen couple exchanged a glance. Whatever mission the newcomer needed to accomplish, there was no hope for him now and the thought melted their hearts. They were unsure of how to prod the stranger for information now, as he seemed to be in such a disheartened state that perhaps he wouldn't want to speak.

That, however, was quickly contradicted. "Your turn," muttered the man.

Mani and Bo looked at each other, with one hinting at the other to begin. Eventually, Bo sighed and volunteered.

"Are you the Hero of Time?"

"Yes. Some Hero I am, heh? I don't feel like one right now. Just call me Link."

"And are there really forces of evil on their way to the Glass Palace right now?"

"Yes."

"You see," continued Bo, placing a hand upon the Link's shoulders, "I had a dream two nights ago, where these three women who claimed to be the Goddesses of Hyrule told me about you and your quest. Are there truly three Goddesses of Hyrule?"

"Farore, Nayru, and Din."

"And that...symbol on your hand. What is that?"

Link hadn't noticed the Triforce sign until now. Disgusted, the Hero hid his left hand from his view, "The symbol of the Triforce of Courage. It has a lot to do with Farore."

"In that case, are there two others who also hold these...Triforces?"

"One is Princess Zelda of Hyrule, she holds the Triforce of Wisdom. The other Triforce, the Triforce of Power, belongs to Ganondorf, the evil the Goddesses spoke to you of."

Well, that was an alarming detail. Bo and Mani frowned, with the latter wringing her hands, anxious from what she had just heard. Dropping his large hand from Link's shoulder, Bo struggled to his feet and walked to the door, opening it and sending a gust of cold wind into the hut. The Frostman wanted to reflect, and left his wife with a despaired Link. It hurt seeing a man in such a state. Helping him all she could, Mani draped a blanket over Link as he sat, legs and arms limp. She didn't leave, however.

"You were after the Island Stones, weren't you?" Mani asked.

"Yes, although we never wanted to come to this Island."

"And who would?" finished Mani, "Sleep, dear, the elder is visiting tomorrow. We all have a feeling that he knows more of this than we do."

* * *

Zelda wasn't the only one who thought extensively of Link. Morus had spent the past six days squinting his eyes, looking at the other Hyrulean ships, hoping that he would see Link's crown of golden hair or his ridiculous green cap. So far, the captain hadn't been fortunate enough, and now Morus was aimlessly strolling the deck. For some reason, no one wondered where Link was; the Hero was such a reliable asset to Hyrule that every soldier just assumed that he was on the Royal Ship, or if the soldiers were on the Royal Ship, that Link was on another ship. Frankly, they were more intrigued by the latest addition to the Hyrulean fleet. And now, Morus's own soldiers looked on with jealousy as their captain promenaded with Reiza, who possessively draped her arm through the crook of Morus's elbow.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" said Reiza, "And sad to think that we are at war with someone."

Reiza hadn't been particularly interested when Morus had told her of their quest. In fact, she was rather dismissive, as though she was already familiar with all the details of the voyage.

Morus didn't reply; he found he often didn't want to reply to Reiza.

"You need to stop worrying about him," reassured Reiza, "Remember, I did say I saw him board a ship."

"I'm not worried," lied Morus, "I'm just used to seeing him all the time that it's a little strange not having him with me."

On cue, Reiza leaned her head upon Morus's shoulder, not speaking. In all honesty, the captain no longer felt the comfort he had felt with Reiza upon their first meeting, and now a part of him wished he hadn't agreed to bring her along. Dislodging his arm from hers, the captain walked away, turning only to say, "I'll return soon! Just have to go down to the barracks for something."

Though it was more because the captain wanted time to himself.

No one was in Morus's area of the barracks, which the captain saw as a relief. These days, the barracks were becoming increasingly stuffy as summer made its way back again. The long voyage away from home was making a large number of the men cranky, and as a result of that there was never a quiet moment. What was most amazing was Reiza's ability to somehow drown out the noise, considering her own quarter's proximity to that of the soldiers. She had insisted that she be next to Morus, which was acceptable as the captain was the one she trusted most.

A lone sheet lay upon the ground, marking Morus's bed in place of an old mattress that had predictably been allocated to Reiza. That hadn't bothered Morus, though, as the man was used to making the most out of the smallest things. Their quarters were separated by a thin blanket that hung between them, and now Morus found himself sitting against this thin blanket.

It didn't take Morus long to realize that what he felt against his tail bone wasn't something Reiza brought with her on the ship.

Curious, Morus lifted the blanket and peered into Reiza's quarters. What he saw shocked him and forced his jaw to drop in disbelief: the Master Sword and the Hylian Shield were stacked before him. How had Reiza managed to smuggle them on board? Link had brought his weapons with him to Fortune, where he had last been seen. There was no other person who would come into possession of the Hero's weapons.

Morus understood: Link wasn't on the ship.

Footsteps forced Morus to release the blanket. Jumping onto his feet, Morus existed his portion of the barracks to find himself face to face with Reiza.

"Why, hello," she said, "That was quick."

"You said he was with us," growled Morus, lowering his voice.

"Pardon?"

"Link," responded Morus, closing in upon Reiza, "You said he was with us."

"He is."

"Then why is his sword and shield here?"

"He forgot them at the inn, so I brought them here for him."

"Why are you here?"

"Pardon?"

"Just answer my question: why are you here? And I don't want anymore lies."

"Well," said Reiza, sneering at Morus, "You're quick to catch on, aren't you? Captain Morus, pride and joy of the Hyrulean army."

"What did you do to him?"

"If you weren't so smitten with me, Captain, you would have noticed that I gave something to the pirate girl at the inn before you received your ale."

Morus balled his hands into two tight fists, furious. Link was possibly dead, and this woman was behind it all.

"You impress me," continued Reiza, "I didn't expect you to solve the puzzle until it was too late."

"And what do you mean by that?" snapped Morus, "The moment I inform the King and the Princess you'll be sent on a boat and left to drift in the middle of the ocean."

"The puzzle," began Reiza, circling Morus like a vulture, "Is that about a mile off from here, a fleet of ships is also traveling toward the Glass Palace. You cannot see them, though, since there is a magical veil that covers them, waiting to be removed on the seventh day of our departure from Fortune."

"Ganondorf's ship," Morus finished.

"And that is why you are Captain!" exclaimed Reiza, mocking Morus.

"I'm going to let the King know right away."

"You will see the King, but you will also help me obtain the Stones from him."

"And how would I do that?"

"Morus," continued Reiza, "There is a reason why I told Ganondorf seven days. Six of the days I spent replenishing my magic reserves, and now I have the energy for one more spell."

The captain stepped away from Reiza. Not only had he allowed her onto the ship, Morus was her target now.

"The best thing of all, though, is that you won't even resist!"

"Even if I fall, Link will return," remarked Morus, "And he will be sure to take you down."

From below, Lord Hur's cries could be heard. The man had been screaming and yelling for days, his hallucinations completely taking him over.

"Gouged out! He's there with his eyes gouged out! His daughter did it! I swear, that's what she did!" came the cries.

Reiza stiffened, and she dropped her head in disbelief toward the floor in the directly of Lord Hur's containment chamber. Pursing her lips, Reiza lifted her head and faced Morus, cold anger in her eyes.

"Good bye, Captain," said Reiza before she lifted her hand.

The scene before Morus shrank in the distance, and the captain found himself in some unknown place where the darkness was so thick he could not even see his own hands. Had Reiza locked him away somewhere? What was happening?

Then, the ice that filled his lungs.

Morus felt himself gasping for breath, flailing his arms and body about in a panic. The captain was drowning, but what he was drowning in was not clear. Around him, only air existed, yet Morus felt that he was in some sort of liquid, suffocating to death.

Reiza was murdering him.

* * *

Leading Morus, Reiza emerged onto the deck, the Captain's hand in her hand. She pretended that they were still in love, and dragged Morus to the Royal Cabin, where she would set him loose. The Captain was not dead, though the somber, blank expression he bore was devoid of the life that people knew him for. Not that that concerned Reiza, as her only goal was obtaining the Stones. Her purpose was to distract the guards; Morus's was different altogether. Reiza shivered with pride as she played her plot in her mind, relishing at the upheaval it would cause.

The best part, however, was that the Hero wasn't even present. Who would save Hyrule now?

"Captain Morus requests a meeting with His Majesty," began Reiza to the guards.

Unsure of how to react to such a beautiful woman, the guards blushed and looked at one another. So flattered were they that they hadn't noticed the new air Morus had taken on, which would have frightened them if they had.

"Of course!" piped on guard, "Let him in!"

They opened the door, the foolish guards.

Commanded by Reiza, Morus walked through the door and into the King's chamber, leaving Reiza in the company of the other two guards who had so easily let her in. The fake Morus had eyes, as well, and found the King sleeping in his cot. Zelda's father was exhausted, and had lain down for a little bit to regain his spirits. At the foot of his cot was the drawer in which the Stones were kept. The logic had been that the Stones would be kept near the King, as His Majesty was the most heavily guarded figure on board. No one, however, expected mutiny, as involuntary as it was.

Rout the Hyruleans, and take the Stones. Reiza's commands had been clear.

Carefully, Morus drew his sword, and approached the King. Whether or not the monarch woke, it did not matter at this point. His light armour clanking against the floorboards, Morus walked, his sword pointed downwards, both hands upon the hilt. He felt no fear, no reproach, no guilt. Those sentiments complicate so many different things, and Morus could not afford any complications. And so, the trusted captain stood over the King of Hyrule, and raised his sword.

The King didn't make a sound, even when the sword pierced his heart.

* * *

The drowning had stopped. Collapsing to the ground, Morus regained his senses. Panting, gasping for air, the captain vowed to go after Reiza before it was too late.

But then, he felt and saw the fresh, warm blood. Sadly, the blood wasn't his own.

In shock, Morus turned his head to the source of the blood, only to find the King staring back at him. The captain didn't understand, and he didn't know who had driven the sword through the King.

"Why?" the King asked, weeping, "Why, Captain Morus? Haven't we given you enough?"

"Who did this to you?" whimpered Morus, his bloody hands at his sides.

"We trained you from when you were a young boy," was all the King said, "Now, I see Link and my own daughter are the only ones I can trust."

"Your Majesty?" Morus shook as the King grew limp, "What happened?"

Goddesses, the King was dead.

Morus's eyes moved to the blade that still stuck out of the King's chest, also stained by the monarch's blood. The captain stood and followed the blade to the hilt; you could always know whose sword was whose from the hilt.

It was a beautiful hilt, one made of the solid gold that represented the highest ranking captains. A ruby was studded in the centre, representing the colour of the regiment that the captain commanded. The Red Regiment...What was this?

Shaking, Morus threw his hands around the sword, and examined the hilt even more closely. It didn't strike him whose sword he was looking at until he recognized the hourglass that was engraved into the gold. The sands of the hourglass were now stained with blood, so that it wasn't sand that flowed through.

"No," breathed Morus.

He was suffocating again, though this time not in the darkness. Fear, grief, and despair controlled Morus as he straightened, and stumbled backwards, away from the King. Step by heavy step, the captain distanced himself from the corpse, unbelieving. Morus backed away until his reflection appeared in a mirror to his side, and he forced himself to look. The captain's face was not only dotted with freckles now, but with blood. Everywhere, he was covered in blood, the red liquid juxtaposing with the bright silver that marked his armour. In mere minutes, the youthful captain was reduced to a haggard man, traumatized at what he had done.

Morus collapsed to the ground, balancing himself on all fours as he wept. He had murdered the King of Hyrule. Disoriented, Morus raised his head to look at the King one more time. It was no use, as the monarch was dead. The room was spinning, and Morus could not control anything.

Treason was the charge, and execution was the punishment.

Sobs wracked Morus's body, leaving the captain to crumble within himself. He would pay dearly for allowing Reiza to board the ship with him. Had the captain known, he would not have taken her with him. Who could imagine that a woman would cause so much destruction?

For the first time, Morus was truly frightened, and even that was an understatement. The captain knew this as the doors flew open, and the two guards looked on in disbelief. It took a moment for the King's death to register in their minds before the two burly men gripped Morus fiercely by his arms, and pulled him to his feet.

"He's a prisoner now," remarked one guard, "Put him at the bottom until the Council decides what to do with him."

Faces blurred, and voices echoed in Morus's head, shaming the captain. The only person Morus could see as he was led was Reiza's, a cruel smile upon her lips as she slipped into the King's Cabin, no doubt to snatch the Stones.

The King couldn't be dead, the King couldn't be dead.

"She did it!" hollered the captain, tears coursing down his cheeks, washing away the blood, "It was her fault! I had nothing to do! You've got to believe me!"

* * *

Princess Zelda stepped out of her own cabin just as Morus disappeared below the deck.

"What's happening?" Zelda demanded to know, "What did he do?"

"Princess," interrupted a Hylian noble who formed the Council, "You need to go back."

"I always knew that boy was trouble!" proudly declared Colonel Bright.

"What did Morus do?"

Reiza stood near the door, hands folded, motioning to the ground. Zelda saw the trail of blood leading from her father's cabin. Before anyone could stop her, Zelda pushed past all the soldiers and ran into the King's quarters.

Shortly after, the Princess sank to her knees, and a scramble ensued to prop her up.

"He's not dead!" she shrieked as the Council pulled her back, "No! He's not dead! Papa! Papa!"

"Get her away from here!" Colonel Bright was ordering.

"He can't be," sobbed Zelda, "He's alive."

Reiza flew to the Princess's side, wrapping her arms around Zelda's shoulders. "Zelda, everything will be fine," she said.

"Why?" whimpered Zelda, "Someone tell me why."

"We don't know why," answered Reiza, gently leading Zelda away, "But the Council will decide how we will punish the captain."

"I trusted him."

"As did I," added Reiza, leading the Princess to her cabin, "But please, settle down. I will stay with you until the Council has finished meeting."

And so, Reiza sat with the Princess, who did not notice the tiny Stone satchel that hung at her side, nor the glance she threw toward the South, where the invisible ships were waiting.

Just one more day.


	26. An Old Friend Returns

The wind blew outside still and Link, miserable and frustrated, sat in the hut of the Frostmen who had generously taken him in. They were awaiting the Elder to see what he made out of the whole situation. Bo was pacing impatiently around the small home, while Mani and Hana worked to provide a meal. The only member of the family who was near Link was little Haita, who sat playing with a little doll. Due to the ignorance of childhood, Haita was also the only family member who did not have a grasp of the circumstances at hand. Therefore, the moment she saw Link's depressed and downcast look, the girl could not help but approach him, her doll in hand.

It took a few moments for the stranger to react, but he finally raised his head.

"You want to play?" asked Haita, her pudgy fingers thrusting the doll towards Link.

Link looked at her, hesitatingly before saying, "I'm sorry, but I'm not very good with children."

"She's not a child," insisted Haita, slightly offended by his remark, "She is Princess Maita, I named her after myself."

The Hero couldn't help but smile for the first time in days. "But I don't know how to play with dolls," he replied, "I never played with dolls growing up."

The little Frostgirl was disappointed, but her efforts did not wane.

"You could protect her for while I sew some more clothes for her," suggested Haita.

"And how would I do that?"

Gently, just as her mother would have done, Haita took Link's hand. The girl unwrapped his strained fingers, one by one, and pressed the doll into his open palm. She used her tiny hands to close Link's fingers, and pushed the doll and Link's hand close to the Hero's own body, right near the heart.

"That's all you need to do," she told him, "Keep her there, and she'll be safe."

"That's all I need to do?"

"All you need to do."

Timidly, the Hero and the Frostgirl beamed at one another, before the latter took some fabric into her hands, and began to sew. Link watched her fingers work for a while before he decided to speak.

"Where I'm from, we have a Princess as well."

Fascinated, Haita faced Link, face taut with curiosity, "Really? What's her name?"

"Zelda."

"Zelda," pronounced the girl, wrapping her lips around each syllable, "That's a pretty name. Is she pretty?"

"Beautiful," replied Link.

"More beautiful than my Princess Maita?" inquired Haita.

"The most beautiful woman in the world."

"Wow," breathed Haita, "She must be really beautiful, then. What does she look like?"

"Very different from you."

"Are you saying I'm ugly?"

"No!" corrected Link, "Not at all! Besides, we're two very different people, you and I, we come from very different places. I don't think you can compare two people from different places."

"But you just said Princess Zelda is the most beautiful woman in the world, that's more than two people from two places!"

Link took a moment to think, "She's the most beautiful woman to me, how about that?"

Haita leaped to her feet, "So you're going to wed her!"

That was unexpected.

"No!" exclaimed Link hastily, "No! We won't be married."

"But if you think she's the most beautiful woman, why don't you want to marry her?"

"It's complicated," replied Link.

"Tell me!"

"I don't think you would understand..."

"Please! I'm old enough!"

Link sighed, but gave in to the girl's demands, "You see, I'm not a prince, and I'm not a noble."

"But you're the Hero!"

"But I'm still a commoner," explained Link, "Princesses can never marry commoners."

"Oh," muttered Haita, "That's disappointing. Can you imagine if that could happen, though? That would be sweet."

"Haita!" exclaimed Mani, "Stop bothering the Hero! The Elder will be here soon and I hope you will treat him much more respectfully."

"I was only asking questions," pouted Haita, returning to her sewing, "He also wanted to play."

"Don't try and lay blame on him, my dear," warned Mani, "That's not very polite either."

Haita did not have a chance to respond, as Bo flew out the front door of the hut and out into the snow. Link could hear Bo greet an older man warmly before they both entered. The Elder unsurprisingly resembled Bo, as all Frostmen seemed to look the same. Though the man was clearly a great deal older, and slightly less heavy set. A long beard draped over the Elder's knees, so long was it that Link was worried the beard would catch fire should the Elder approach the hearth. That fear, however, was unfounded, and soon Haita stood to allow the Elder to sit with Link. Extending her arms, the girl signaled to Link that she would like her doll returned to her, which the Hero did before the girl bounded off to her mother's side.

Adjusting his robes, the Elder flashed Link a brilliant, toothless smile. "Hello there," the Elder began, "And welcome to our lovely Island. I joke about that, of course, because it seems that only the Frostmen find it beautiful."

"I haven't seen the rest of it, so I can't say," replied Link.

"Ah, yes that is true, you have been recovering. Found slumped upon the ice, poisoned. My, you have had quite the eventful seven days."

"Not quite seven," corrected Link, "The girls announced that you were coming earlier than expected."

"Right," agreed the Elder, "They said they wanted to speak to me about something important, and how there was a tall stranger living with them."

"We wanted you to speak with the Hero of Time, Elder," corrected Bo, "The Hero of Time from Hyrule."

Immediately, the Elder gaped at Link, unable to believe what he had just heard. "The Hero of Time," repeated the old Frostman, "I never would have thought..."

"I had a dream six nights ago," explained Bo, sitting with the men, "Three Goddesses of Hyrule told me that my family should accommodate the Hero of Time until some sort of help arrived for him."

"Help?" interrupted Link, "You never told me about that."

"Wait," interjected the Elder, "So, what brings you here to the ocean?"

"The Glass Palace," elaborated Link, "A Gerudo from Hyrule, Ganondorf, is trying to get to the Glass Palace to unlock some power that involves a dear friend of mine. We have been traveling and obtaining the Stones to stop him."

"Unlocking power," muttered the Elder, pulling his robes closer to his body, "No one has accessed the Glass Palace for generations."

"Until now, obviously. I was traveling with the Hyrulean fleet and we had three Stones with us, and we were going to seek the fourth. Obviously, I'm off course now."

"And what happened to you?" inquired the Elder.

"I've been tricked. Some woman tried to poison me and threw me into the ocean while I was in Fortune."

The Elder sucked in his breath, "Well, that's rather harsh. What would you like me to do?"

"Actually, Elder," began Bo, "We called you here to see if you can explain what the significance of Link's visit is, and who exactly the Goddesses were speaking of when they said help. Your wisdom is valued."

"Wisdom? Pah!" spat the Elder, "And you think my wisdom can give you answers?"

Bo, taken aback, frowned and replied, "Well, I simply assumed that..."

"Wisdom cannot solve everything!" declared the Elder, "In the face of Evil, Courage matters so much more."

"So, you're saying you don't know why Link is here," suggested Bo.

"That is exactly what I'm suggesting," confirmed the Elder who nodded sadly before facing Link, "I'm sorry, Hero, but I don't know how to help you. Please don't assume it's because I'm not willing to."

"I'm not assuming anything," said Link, contemplating, "But I will get to the Glass Palace."

Bo and the Elder froze. Link raised his head and faced both men.

"I have to get there," continued the Hero, "I'm not sure how, but I know I will."

"Let's not get too idealistic here," interjected the Elder, "You're a very determined young man, but I can't think of a way to actually send you off into the ocean."

"And a raft definitely wouldn't send you all the way there, in case you were thinking of that," added Bo, not meaning to be as comedic as he was.

The Hero ignored the Frostman's comment and turned to the Elder once more, "Elder, what are the Stones for? I've been traveling from Island to Island collecting them but I've never taken the time to ask what they do except open the Glass Palace. If these Stones are able to give Ganondorf access to some great power, then surely the Stones can be used for other things, can't they?"

"Why, of course! I assumed you knew all about the Stones!" exclaimed the Elder, throwing his hands into the air, "And now you're telling me that you have been at sea for almost a year and you haven't a clue as to what these Stones can do?"

"No! None of us do! All we have ever known is that we need them to get into this Glass Palace."

"And none of you ever asked anyone at the other Islands? You never questioned? I have to admit, I'm very ashamed and shocked!"

"It never crossed our minds," murmured Link regretfully, "Could they have helped us obtain the other Stones much more easily?"

"Well, no," answered the Elder slowly as he reflected on what he wanted to say, "But there is a reason why we require everyone who wants the Stones to prove they are worthy of them."

"And that reason might be able to help me?" suggested Link.

"Let me put it this way: without the Stones, the Islands would disintegrate. Your Goddesses designed them as a lifeline for the Islands, if you know what I mean. The longer the Stones are away from the Islands, the more the Islands die."

"As in they sink into the sea?" ventured Bo.

"No, it isn't a question of the Islands sinking into the sea. But the life on the Islands will certainly die bit by bit and in fact, Hero, as of right now you have contributed to that."

"So the Stones are pretty much the Islands," clarified Link.

"Precisely! Hm, perhaps I should have mentioned that at the offset instead of bumbling on."

"But why? The Goddesses wanted the seven Islands to be the protectors of the Glass Palace, so why would they want you to die?"

"To fight greed," replied the Elder, "You can't expect to have such valuable Stones around without someone wanting to make a bit of profit for themselves. It doesn't matter if you take your own Island's Stone, because eventually you will die along with it! And who wants that sort of burden? The Goddesses did not want the Stones in the wrong hands, although from what you say that has been in vain. Not to mention your ships are about to be taken by this Ganondorf's ships very shortly."

Link's eyes widened as the Hero frowned, "What?"

"This Ganondorf you speak of is dangerously close to the Hyrulean ships, my friend," repeated the Elder gravely.

"How do you know?" Link was upon his knees now.

"We are the guardians of the Stones, and we can't work in isolation. The Goddesses knew that if we were to protect the Glass Palace, we needed to collaborate. And so, the inheritors of the Stones not only know where their Stone is, but the Stones of the other Islands, as well."

"So you knew the other Stones were being taken away!"

The Elder nodded, "I did. And I know exactly who took them, as well."

"How?" Link demanded to know.

It was then that the Elder fumbled in the folds of his robes. Impatiently, Link watched as the old Frostman extracted a sixth Stone so white that it could camouflage into the white Island snow. The solemn Frostman presented Link with the Stone, sitting it in the palm of his hand, holding it out to the Hero.

"Take it," said the Elder, "And press it close against your eye."

Without hesitating, Link wrapped his fingers around the white Stone and held it to his eye. A minute passed, but the Hero saw nothing and faced the Elder.

"I don't see anything," said the Hero.

"Even more closely," urged the Elder.

Link tried once more, but close his right eye so his left could better dig into the Stone. The ice seemed to crack, and suddenly a liquid flowed across the surface of the Stone, spreading over the entire rock face and gradually accumulating colour. A large, grand ship appeared as though from a mist, and Link recognized the Royal Ship, where some of the Stones were held.

"There they are!" exclaimed Link excitedly, "I see my friends! They're all there!"

"Keep watching," urged the Elder.

The water on the Stone's surface was rearranging itself again, this time into what Link could see was another ship. Black and menacing, an entire fleet traveled behind the Hyruleans only half a mile away. Link gasped as he recognized who was at the head of the first ship, and he looked to the Elder in alarm.

"Why aren't the Hyruleans preparing themselves for battle?"

"There is a woman on the Royal Ship who cast a spell seven days ago, coating Hyrule's enemy with an invisible cloak of some sort. They didn't attack you back in Fortune, partly because they knew that with you still in the way, their chances were not good. While you were at Fortune, Ganondorf was busy repairing his ships as they had emerged from a storm. But he watched you until his own troops were in good form, and they have been trailing your friends for the last seven days."

"No," mumbled Link.

"They're after the Stones so they can head straight for the Glass Palace."

Link swore loudly and stomped to his feet, "And all the other guardians can see where the Stones are?"

"They can sense where they are, but they don't know exactly what is happening because they can't see anything without their own respective Stones."

"I've got to head back," declared Link breathlessly, "I've got to warn the King! Princess Zelda! Even Morus!"

Link stopped when he saw the Elder raise a finger into the air.

"There's something else," added the Elder, folding his arms, "It's about your friend."

"What happened to Morus?" inquired Link.

"The King of Hyrule is dead," said the Elder, "And your friend is accused of his murder."

The news hit Link like giant waves as they struck cliffs, forcing him to stand in place, unmoving. Not only were the Hyruleans in danger, they also had no King, no leader. And the most innocent of people was behind the monarch's demise.

"I know this may seem trivial now, but it wasn't this Morus's fault," continued the Elder, rising to his feet and gently placing a hand on Link's shoulder in comfort, "That woman, Reiza, she possesses some of the darkest magic I have ever seen."

"She controlled him, didn't she?"

"Yes, because she needed to access the Stones without any sort of resistance. The King was the ultimate guardian of the Stones upon your ship, and she needed to remove him."

"He'll be killed," muttered Link in shock, pacing up and down through the Frostman hut, "They'll execute him for treason!"

"Not before they try and get to the bottom of the story," interrupted the Elder.

"And you know all of this because you saw it through the Stones?" said Link.

The Elder nodded, sending Link into an early stage of panic, "I've got to get back."

With that, the Hero bounded out of the hut before the Frostmen had a chance to stop him. Link found himself staring into the horizon, high up on a mountain cliff, the snow blowing about him, stinging his cheeks. But the Hero didn't mind, he needed to find a way to get to Zelda and Morus.

"Good heavens, boy!" hollered Mani, running out with a blanket, "You don't want to freeze to death!"

"Elder!" shouted Link over the howling of the wind, "You say the other guardians can sense where the Stones are! But would they know where I am?"

"Well," began the Elder climbing out of the hut, "There is a chance that -"

The Stone was in Link's hand, and the Hero lifted it up into the air, praying that there would be some response.

"Link!" now the Elder was running towards him, "That Stone will not help you anymore!"

Through the snow, the Stone beamed a very bright light, cutting through the darkness of the Island of Ice. Link was desperate, and he was willing to do anything to somehow find a way to stop Ganondorf, as ridiculous as he was at the moment. The end of Hyrule, and of the world as he knew it was so near, and Link hated that he was partly a perpetrator of it. Why had he so easily fallen for Reiza's tricks? Either way, no matter what era would follow, Link would not let her go so lightly.

"Don't be a fool!" howled the Elder, "Nobody can-"

The loud flutter of wings stopped the Elder in his tracks. Hearing the sound, even Link was lifted out of alarm, leaving the Hero to drop his arm slightly, and to turn his head about. Bo and Mani ducked back into their hut, peering out from the door frame as the wings approached. Side by side, Link and the Elder waited, unsure, though unafraid for some odd reason neither one could explain.

Whatever was making the sound landed behind the two, and forced the Hylian and Frostman to turn.

"We have found you!"

Link could not believe it. Through the darkness emerged Marius in all his glory, his wings expanded to their full length in a sight so impressive that the Elder, who had never seen the angel up close, shook at his knees. The King of Angels was so austere and so noble in stature that there was not one being that could rival his presence except maybe the Goddesses. Above them, other angels flew around before landing one by one by Marius's side.

"We searched for weeks just for you, Hero," said Marius, "All we want now is to help you in your quest."

"Ganondorf's overtaking the Hyruleans!" yelled Link, trying to make Marius understand, "And the Stones, they'll all be gone if -"

"We knew something had gone terribly wrong when we arrived in Fortune to rest our wings," added Marius, extending a hand toward Link, "A young girl brought us to your sword and shield, and we knew you would never leave without either one. It wasn't until an old woman led us to the woods of Fortune did we begin to understand what had happened. She mentioned a woman so beautiful, yet deadly, that she was captivating in every respect, and the woman told us of your friend, the handsome, lively captain. We found traces of shadow beasts in the woods, but your body was nowhere to be found and no one had seen you the day the Hyruleans left. You are very lucky you decided to shine the Stone, as we were passing by, searching for you."

"Where are the Hyruleans, do you know?" Link demanded an answer.

"We arrived at Fortune two days ago, which would mean that they are seven days ahead of us. But," continued the King, winking, "Angels do fly very quickly."

"Then can you take me to the Hyruleans? Please say you can," pleaded Link.

"I can't say that we are able to take you straight to the Glass Palace, however I am here to make sure you rejoin your allies," answered Marius, "So come, and we will be on our way."

Link ran towards Marius, but just before the Hero reached the angel, he stopped and faced the Elder. Head held high, Link extended his hand and walked to the Elder, holding the Stone. When the Frostman knew what Link wanted to do, he lifted a hand, motioning for Link to leave. The Hero stood, waiting for an explanation.

"Keep it," ordered the Elder, "No one deserves that Stone more than you do."

"But you do know that if I can't stop Ganondorf, you will never get it back," countered Link, "And you will die as well if what you say about the Stones is true."

"That is why I am giving it to you: what good is living in a world full of Evil? I think everyone here would rather die than submit to this Ganondorf. As slow and as painful as our death may be, I don't think it would be a mistake."

Link held out his hand for a little longer, staring at the Elder. When it was clear that the Frostman would not accept the Stone, Link nodded and stuffed the Stone into a pouch attached to his slightly torn tunic. Marius's arms wrapped around Link's waist, and before the Hero could say a word the ground was disappearing beneath his feet. Bo and Mani had run out, and stood there, waving to the Hero as he left. Smiling, Link waved back until the Frostmen were nothing but dots against the white snow. In the air, Link was swung about in the blizzard until suddenly, sunlight penetrated through the clouds, and Link was above the sea. The sun was disappearing into the water, sinking out of sight until the next day when it would rise and beam, lighting the entire land. Link was flying through the air with abandon, letting the angels carry him as effortlessly as the waves carried ships and boats across its body. And so, the Hero's journey continued after a standstill. During that time, an hourglass back in Hyrule was gradually running out of sand as a life was put in jeopardy. Next to that hourglass sat an older man, who watched as the sand tumbled.

The hourglass was cracking, but the rifts were not yet seen.


	27. Justice Delivered By the Insane

If it were not for the small lamp that sat near the wall, the chamber would have been completely dark. This was a special chamber upon the ship, a place that had, until now, been unoccupied as there had been no justifiable reason to hold anyone in its body. But this abandoned chamber was where Morus found himself cuffed to the wooden ceiling that hung above him. Beneath him, the captain's feet were shackled and lifted from the ground, stretching his body.

"The Council will decide what to do with you."

And the Council was clearly taking more time than they needed to. For hours, the damp smell of wood had entered Morus's nostrils to the prolonged point where he now didn't even notice the stink. They had unceremoniously removed the captain's armour, and left him naked save for a pair of trousers that rested upon his hips that were as limp as Morus was. The man had passed the time by straining his ears, eavesdropping on the conversations of soldiers above him. From what he could gather, Morus knew that the soldiers had been ordered not to sleep in their normal barracks. Rather, they were to sleep on deck for the night. Anyone foreign to the ways of Hylians would be puzzled as to why they had been ordered to do so, but Morus knew. It wasn't as some sort of punishment, but it was to pull a blanket over their eyes or, in this case, their ears. The captain had committed the most serious crime, therefore he would not be subject to a normal interrogation. This was an aspect of Hylian law that was hidden away from public view, and for good reason as the legitimacy of the Council could, possibly, be questioned. The bustling above him had stopped, leading Morus to conclude that it was night time, and that the Council would be back very soon with their decision.

Lord Hur's screams echoed through the darkness, but Morus wasn't bothered as he, too, was crying inside. The King was dead, but he was not responsible for it. Or was the entire thing still his fault? That question had echoed inside Morus for the last few hours as he hung there, surrendering himself to Hylian justice.

The captain didn't lift his head until the thick footsteps thundered down the steps, followed by lighter ones that trod behind. A trap door shut, and Morus knew that the Council had reached a decision. However, he was still alarmed when the light shone upon Colonel Bright, a sick smirk stretched across his face, wiping his hands upon a cloth. Behind him followed Bayas, carrying a case with his head hung low, not daring to look at his former Captain.

"Morus!" boomed Colonel Bright, throwing the cloth aside, "You're very fortunate tonight!"

"Am I really?" growled the captain, "Just get to it and tell me what the Council said."

"Well, they decided to not kill you," announced the Colonel, "But I didn't say they won't later on."

"I'm sure I know what you're here for," Morus challenged the Colonel.

"You see," said the Colonel who unbuttoned the top of his shirt, "The Council was talking. There was way too much of it, all that talking talking talking. There was so much "why did he do it?" and "how could he have done it?" that I had to put an end to their discussion somehow."

"And what did you say? I'm sure it was something enlightening."

"Then I stood up!" continued the Colonel who acted as though Morus had said nothing, "And suggested that we subject you to a little test. After all, everyone in Hyrule deserves a fair trial."

Morus watched as the Colonel rolled up his sleeves, clumsily folding the fabric to his elbow. The captain darted his eyes away from the Colonel to Bayas, who quickly diverted his gaze from Morus. Even from far away Morus saw the soldier shake and heard his heavy breath. Bayas was afraid, and Morus didn't blame him.

"And so the Council allowed me to run this trial as I wish in order to fairly see if you are, in fact, guilty. Personally, I knew this would happen; farm brats do not belong in the army. And when they step out of line, they need to be taught."

"I didn't do it."

"You can save that for later," spat the Colonel before turning to Bayas, "Open it."

Bayas's fingers shook, causing the solder to struggle as he tried to undo the latch of the case. The Colonel lost his patience and screamed, "Open it!" to which Bayas stopped his shaking to fling the golden latch up. In fear, the soldier flung upon the case and displayed an impressive collection of knives. The lamp was not the only thing emitting light now as the blades shone, their silver coats gleaming. Colonel Bright was no longer pacing, and instead was regarding his knives.

"It was a little difficult to convince the Council to let me conduct my own form of justice. But after convincing them that whipping you or beating you would do you no good, they allowed me to carry this out in any way that pleases me. After all, you did kill a King, that is a very serious offense," explained the Colonel nonchalantly, as though nothing was wrong.

"Do what you need to, because I will tell you I am not guilty," retorted Morus.

"The King's death is not the only thing I'm here for," mentioned the Colonel, "I'm also here about my wife, Morus."

"Well that's not very fair. Now you're accusing me of two charges."

"Is it not fair, though? Did you really think the two of you could go frolicking off under my nose without some form of punishment? All I want to do is ask a few questions, a few points of clarification."

The Colonel was reaching for a mid-sized blade when Bayas twitched, drawing the Colonel's hand to a smaller one. Seeing the soldier, the Colonel laughed and stood by Bayas's side, pointing at Morus with his finger.

"Look," ordered the Colonel, "Captain Morus of the Red Regiment: murderer, traitor, and adulterer. Do you think he's honourable now?"

Bayas said nothing as the Colonel grabbed the small knife and sauntered towards Morus, twirling the small blade as he continued.

"He is intelligent, ambitious, handsome! Every maiden's dream!" taunted the Colonel, "Who would have thought that he would be up to so much trouble?"

And the blade sunk into Morus, who cried out in response to the Colonel's stab. Blood now ran from his thigh as the Colonel marched around him.

"Why my wife, Morus? Why Enema?"

"I can't say, it just happened," answered Morus.

The knife dug into his other thigh and was drawn out before he could even shout. Bayas was visibly trembling now, his eyes wide in terror.

"It just happened! What kind of response is that? What did you see in that brat?"

"The fact that she was too intelligent and humane for you!"

This time, the knife was to the waist, and the Colonel made sure the blade was dug in for longer.

"But she was obviously a whore!" declared Colonel Bright, "A no good whore!"

"And you wonder why she doesn't speak to you anymore," spat Morus, enraged, "Just because I was able to show her love doesn't mean you should be like this!"

Two stabs to the calves.

"You weren't very discreet about it either, were you?" growled the Colonel, "Do you know how you humiliated me?"

"The soldiers never found out," refuted Morus before crying out as the knife was plunged into his shoulder.

"But the captains did!" howled the Colonel in fury, "Every time I walked past there were jeers! Hoots! Can you imagine what it was like for everyone to know that your wife was off in a bed with some young soldier?"

The Colonel didn't wait for Morus to respond before he plunged the knife.

"How can a noblewoman fall for some farm boy whose name she didn't even know until she opened herself to him?" hollered Colonel Bright.

"Because that farm boy made her realize just how valuable she was!" yelled Morus.

A knife to the thigh silenced him. The stabbings had become more brutal, more animal, with each stroke. And now, the Colonel stood there, shaking, sweating, the knife at his side. Blood gushed from Morus's wounds as the captain fought the pain to shout, "And she didn't open herself to me before she knew my name!"

At that, the Colonel cackled and nodded in agreement, "All right then! All right!"

Still chuckling, Colonel Bright strode towards Bayas and his open case. The soldier watched as the Colonel placed the small, blood-soaked knife into its holster, but twitched once again towards it when the Colonel reached for the mid-sized blade. Once again, Colonel Bright noticed Bayas's movements, but this time he would show no mercy.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" screamed the Colonel as he delivered a blow to the side of Bayas's face.

The strike flung Bayas to the floor and sent the knives clattering across the wooden surface. Cowering, Bayas backed away from Colonel Bright as the man bent down and grabbed the blade he wanted. The Colonel laughed at Bayas as the soldier shook, lips taut across his face.

"Don't worry, boy!" said Colonel Bright, "I'm not here to kill him, only for a little bit of fun. Watch closely, do you notice how I make sure I don't stab the lungs? The trick is to keep him alive, which is why you stab his legs, arms, shoulders, and some parts of his waist. Of course, if you wield a knife like this, you'll be aiming for the legs and upper arms only; anywhere else could kill him, not that I would mind."

"And the Council didn't even question why they would send you?" blurted Morus, gasping for breath, "You're supposed to be finding out if I murdered the King on purpose, so don't bring Enema into this."

"You're not a stupid boy, Morus!" thundered the Colonel, "Did you really think you would escape the law? You killed the King, you weren't going to live either way! This is just procedure, and you know that; the only reason I'm here is to carry on a custom."

"That's not the only reason you're here. You just want revenge, that's all you want. You've waited a long time to do this, so you might as well make the most of it!"

Morus cut his own words with a cry as a second knife was dipped in blood. Colonel Bright was breaking Hylian law himself, but he didn't care. Everyone knew the Colonel was above the law, even with a witness. Bayas would never report the Colonel, even after seeing the traumatizing scene unfold in front of him. Knives were only reserved for the most serious offenders, but in this case Morus wasn't even being subjected to the right charges. Treason and murder should have been the Colonel's top priority, but pride had gotten in the way and now the Colonel was employing every dreadful method to his satisfaction. All the soldier could do was watch as the interrogation escalated in volume and brutality.

"Why did you even think about getting involved with her?" the Colonel screeched.

"Because I could offer her something that you couldn't!" returned the captain.

A scream.

"Did you even think of me?"

"Why would we when you have never showed any compassion for anyone?"

A wail reverberated through the chamber.

"This isn't the crime I'm supposed to be tried for!" howled Morus.

"In my eyes, it is!"

Two cries.

"You're insane!"

Bayas covered his ears. There were two people screaming now, one from below and the other in front of him. Their wails were intermingled, and the soldier could still hear both even though he tried not to. Blood was dripping onto the floor, and Bayas could smell it. He watched, unable to look away, as Colonel Bright continued. The captain was growing weak, and Bayas knew that if something wasn't done to stem the bleeding soon, the captain would fade away.

Head weighed down, Morus gasped for air as Colonel Bright backed away doing the same. The exhausted Colonel wiped the sweat from his forehead with a stained sleeve, and sauntered back towards Bayas, oscillating as though he were drunk. Along the way, the Colonel smirked and examined his victim.

"I see we trained you well," he remarked bitterly, "Your body's strong enough to handle all that. Any normal person would be dead, not that you'll be alive any longer."

"You don't need to tell me," retorted Morus, losing consciousness, "I know enough."

"Oh, there's so much you don't know."

"I don't understand. There are so many men who have been in your situation, what makes this so different from all the other cases?"

"I hated you from the very beginning. To think your bloodline will be continued makes me sick."

At that, Morus lifted his head from his chest, eyes widening.

"What?" was all he could utter.

The Colonel threw the knife onto the ground and settled heavily upon a nearby crate, facing Morus.

"You heard me. Your bloodline will be continued."

"I never knew," murmured Morus.

"Well, best you know now," snapped the Colonel, grabbing a bottle of wine that sat beside the create, "I was hoping the potion ladies would tell me how to terminate him, but none of them would do it. So there's Enema, pretty little girl, walking around our despicable home with a baby in her womb."

"How did you know it was mine?" breathed the prisoner.

"Because she had refused to even sleep in the same bed as I did for the year you were together," growled the Colonel, "I should have made her, for my sake. Knowing that, it doesn't give us many options for who the father would be, hm?"

"No one ever told me," muttered Morus, raising his head toward the ceiling.

"Of course not. And excluding everyone in our households, no one knew about your little bastard son."

"You separated us more than four years ago. That means -"

"That your stupid son is months shy of four years of age," finished the Colonel, downing the wine.

"What's his name?"

"Roland. Terrible name, I hope you didn't suggest it."

"Roland," repeated Morus, "That's not too bad."

The Colonel spat some wine to his side, "I made her get rid of it. That boy's at Madame Helga's now."

"You sent him to an orphanage?" Morus was incredulous.

"I didn't want to keep him."

"And Enema?"

"She obviously wanted the boy, but why would I let her keep him?"

"Because she's his mother!" exclaimed Morus, "You really don't have a heart, do you?"

"Not for you, I don't," retorted the Colonel, taking one last swig from his bottle.

Bayas had risen to his feet, but now plastered his back against the wall as the Colonel approached Morus once again. Now, Bright held the bottle by the neck. He paced around Morus, who eyed the wine bottle, waiting for the Colonel to make a move.

"What does he look like?" Morus inquired.

"Now Bayas!" boomed the Colonel, "I may not stab him in the ribs for fear of killing him. But let's say I'm not satisfied, you know what I do?"

Bayas stood still.

"You know what I do?" repeated the Colonel, raising his voice.

The soldier was forced to shake his head.

With lightning speed, the Colonel smashed the bottle into Morus's torso. The sound of breaking glass shattered the air, accompanied by an unhealthy crack and unearthly wail. As the former captain howled and began to weep, the Colonel watched as the wine mingled with the blood, on the body and on the ground. During the last few instants, all the rumours surrounding Colonel Bright had been proven true, and Bayas saw the Colonel for the unstable, insane man he was. Throwing the broken bottle aside, Colonel Bright rolled down his sleeves, a grin on his face as he waited for Morus to respond. No one heard Lord Hur's screams any longer, so deafening was the silence that rang through the entire chamber.

Then with a deep breath, Morus lifted his head and faced Colonel Bright. The prisoner's clear voice cut through its surroundings, and pierced the objects around the three men.

"You're supposed to interrogate me about the murder of the King," declared Morus, "Why don't you do what you're supposed to do, for once?"

The Colonel had assumed that the former captain would submit, and he had been ready to march up to the deck, victorious. Seeing that he had not subdued his enemy, Bright began to seethe, the air hissing in and out of his nostrils, his face scowling as he approached Morus once again.

"Is that what you want?" growled the Colonel.

"Yes," confirmed Morus.

"Fine, then we'll do everything your way. So, did you kill the King?"

"No."

Colonel Bright used his tall frame, balled his hand into a firm fist, and cut across Morus's face with all his strength, his punch reverberating.

"Did you kill the King?" the Colonel repeated.

"No."

A second blow to the face, this time to Morus's cheekbone. The Colonel was furious.

"Who could have done it, then?" he hollered.

"It was that woman!" yelled Morus.

Thud.

"You're lying!" thundered the Colonel, "You killed the King, didn't you?"

"No I didn't!" screeched Morus.

Both were uncontrollable.

Thud.

"Traitor!"

Boom.

"Don't you lie to me!"

Smash!

"I'm telling you the truth!"

Thud! Crunch!

"MURDERER!"

THUMP.

"YOU THOUGHT I WOULDN'T KNOW!"

BOOM!

"NEVER SHOULD HAVE TAKEN YOU IN!"

"STOP IT!"

Morus went limp as Colonel Bright turned to face Bayas. Tears dribbled from the young soldier's eyes as he faced the Colonel.

"Just stop it!" squalled Bayas, his voice straining, "That's enough!"

The soldier wept, shoulders shaking, and watched as his past captain turned to him. Barely conscious, Morus let a half smile grace his bleeding lip, showing Bayas that he had done his captain proud. The Colonel breathed heavily, regarding Bayas with disgust. Soon, the Colonel stomped toward the stairs leading to the upper barracks, addressing Morus.

"According to Hylian law, which you seem so keen to uphold, you are allowed an audience with one person before you are executed for a period of half a day. Who do you choose?"

"Link," forced out Morus.

"Ha!" laughed the Colonel, "Link. Is that your way of buying yourself time?"

"He will return," affirmed Morus, "And he will come and see me."

"Huh, well if I were you I wouldn't hold such high hopes for the boy," countered the Colonel before barking at Bayas, "You! Stay here and watch the man! Not that there isn't anything more to be afraid of."

Bright slammed the trap door behind him, leaving Bayas alone with Morus. The soldier still sobbed. Below them, Lord Hur was howling, as though he were the one subjected to the brutal version of Hylian law that almost no one saw.

"That man needs help," groaned Morus, his head falling onto his chest.

Underneath, Lord Hur was screaming.

* * *

"You always read that same passage to me! Can't you read from something else?"

Emena shut the book and gaped at Morus, "Excuse me, but this is my favourite passage and I'm sorry if you don't appreciate it the way I do!"

If it were not for the small lamp that sat near the wall, the area would have been completely dark. Morus was lounged upon the bed, watching Emena as she read to him. The lady had just wrapped herself in a blanket, revealing only her shoulders as she interpreted the story. She had removed the ornaments that pinned up her black hair, which now framed her face, giving her a relaxed air that contradicted the tautness she exhibited in public. As she read, her fingers combed through her locks, a habit she had developed out of nervousness since she had never, before Morus, read out loud to anyone, and feared that she would make a mistake. Emena was a perfectionist, a little wound up in her hope that everything would be in place and remain there.

She had unrealistic goals, but at least she had purpose in her life.

"I'm going to write a book like this one day," she told Morus.

"You mean you want to write a book that doesn't have any substance?"

"No!" retorted Emena, shutting the novel, "I want to write a book that provokes people, makes them think about things."

"Deep concepts, hopefully?" suggested Morus.

"Of course! Did you honestly think I'd stop at the surface like this writer?"

"I'm surprised that was even published. When will you start writing?"

Emena lifted her head, and took a moment to reflect. "When he's out of sight," she replied.

"The Colonel's not leaving for a while, I'll tell you that," said Morus.

"I know," replied Emena disappointedly, "I can't stand him anymore. He used to be tolerable, but there's just something wrong with him. And I mean mentally, he's just so unsound."

"You don't train with him every day," mentioned Morus.

"I don't even allow him to be near me anymore," continued Emena, "To think my family thought he was a great match for me."

"Money runs the world," added Morus.

They lay there in silence, before Emena spoke once more, "He will find out, you know that don't you?"

"I don't doubt it, although he's taking such a long time to do so that I'm sure we're safe for the next few months," answered Morus uneasily.

"What do you think he'll do to you once he does?"

"What will he do?" Morus pondered, eyes to the ceiling, "Well, he can't do anything to me when we're on Hyrulean land."

"And you know the moment you both aren't, he will attempt to have free reign over you and do the most horrible things."

Morus sighed, "I don't doubt that either."

"And you're prepared to face that?" Emena was a little disbelieving, but this wasn't the first time they had this conversation.

"I've heard all the rumours," was all Morus said.

Again, silence. That is, until Morus noticed the small gold pendant that dangled from Emena's neck. Gently, the soldier pinched the locket and turned it with his fingers.

"When did you get this?" he inquired.

"Yesterday," replied Emena, brushing away her hair, "One of the only times the Colonel actually gave me money, so I decided to make good use of it. He never lets me buy anything on my own."

"It's very pretty," said Morus, "Suits you very well."

Then, Emena had an idea. Breaking the locket away from Morus's hand, the lady sat up and reached her delicate hands behind her neck. She undid the chain, and held the locket out for Morus to see.

"I don't think we have a lot of time together," Emena said sternly, "So I want you to have this. He can discover us tomorrow, or any time in the future, we just don't know when. Either way, when he does you won't have anything to really remember me by. You should have this now."

"Emena," Morus propped himself onto his elbow, "I'll have plenty of things to remember you by."

"But not anything you can carry."

"Memories stay with people for the rest of their lives."

"Then not something you can physically hold."

This wasn't the first time they were concerned about Colonel Bright, but it certainly was the first time the two lovers were seriously considering the possibility of being discovered. Without a word, the soldier took the locket, and pulled the lady in, laying his lips upon hers.


	28. Confronting the Enemy

The King would not be buried in Hyrule. Rather, the sea was to be his final settling place, as unfair as Zelda found that. A handful of soldiers had volunteered to prepare the King's body for the funeral rites, not that Zelda had even bothered to oppose. The treason had been great, the grief unbearable. Zelda was no longer shedding tears, instead resentment had built inside her, leaving her to loathe the captain. Because of Morus, the King was lost, and because of Morus Hyrule would have no monarch as the law dictated that Zelda needed to wed before she could become Queen. Colonel Bright might have had a point. Morus was not the righteous man people had led her to believe. All along, he had been hiding sentiments of envy, anger, frustration, and hate, there was no doubt about that. The former captain did not deserve the friends he had made, and the reputation he created for himself. A selfish farm boy was all he was. A selfish, horrid, monstrous, sly...

There was a knock on her door. "Come in," said Zelda without raising even her eyes.

Though the Princess did not have to lift anything as the footsteps were unmistakable.

"Your Highness," Colonel Bright greeted her, bowing, "The criminal confessed to the intended murder of your father."

Good.

"Although I suspect he is trying to take advantage of our justice system."

Zelda shot Colonel Bright a look, "What has he done?"

The Colonel chuckled then explained, "He has stated that the one person he wants an audience with before the execution is Link."

This time, the Princess looked directly at the Colonel. "Why would he be taking advantage of the system? We'll find Link; he's aboard another ship."

So the Princess did not know! Then again, the Colonel had only just found out that the Hero was not aboard any ship. None of the captains in the fleet had seen Link, that was made clear. The Hero was gone, but for what reason people could not fathom. While the Colonel was in the chamber dealing with Morus, the captains searched their barracks, alert for any sign of Link though with no luck.

"He's not aboard any ship, your Highness. The captains were ordered to return to their respective ships to search for him, and he is nowhere to be found."

Zelda stood, her pulse quickening, "What do you mean nowhere to be found?"

The Colonel shrugged his shoulders, "We don't know where he is; he is not with us."

Gone. The King and the Hero, gone.

"So as you see, the murderer wants to speak to someone who is not even among us. What-"

"And no one knew until now?" interrupted Zelda, her eyes afire, voice commanding, demanding to know.

Unlike Link, Colonel Bright had never been in the presence of a furious Zelda. The Colonel backed away slightly, but gathered himself to reply, "We all assumed he was either upon this ship, or another different from ours."

The Colonel watched as Zelda turned away, her back to him. Wringing her hands, Zelda attempted to regain her composure, as she could not afford an outburst in front of one of her subjects. A lump formed in her throat, and tears welled in her eyes. Morus. No doubt the traitor was also involved in Link's disappearance. Zelda's hands became fists, and her entire body tensed as the tears poured down her cheeks, tracks of salt against her skin.

"Two days," stammered the Princess, "If Link does not return within two days, he will not be granted that right."

"Then he will be hanged in two days!" declared the Colonel before heaving a sigh, "He was such a nice boy, who would have thought? I advised against taking him in years ago, but no one had the vision I possessed. There was always something wrong with him, but no one could see."

"I hope the Council does not take your words for granted in the future," replied Zelda, "And select a new captain for the Red Regiment."

"As you wish, your Highness," cooed the Colonel, exiting after one final bow.

Zelda waited until she was sure the Colonel was far away before bringing her hands to her face.

* * *

Ganondorf examined the place of the moon in the sky. One more hour, and he would attack the Hyruleans. Without the Hero, he knew the Hyruleans would lose, leaving him as much time as he wanted to arrive at the Glass Palace. The thought made him smile, and imagine the world when it would be underneath his feet. Emperor Ganondorf, ruler of not just Hyrule, but every thriving nation. He would govern with an iron hand, with Reiza by his side.

He had to thank the latter for all she had done.

"You elected a perfect time to attack, sir!" complimented a captain, "They will be unsuspecting."

And completely unaware.

Good bye, Princess Zelda. The royal family was the next to be disposed of. First the guardian, then the heart of Hyrule.

Ganondorf could not contain the excitement he felt, biding away the time.

* * *

Propped against a wall, Morus weakly turned his head to face Bayas, who had returned with a bowl of freshwater and a sack. After Colonel Bright had left, the soldier had lost no time in running to his former captain, releasing the accused from the shackles that bound him with a key from Colonel Bright's knife case and sat him in the place where Morus now was. He had left Morus for a few minutes, and now returned, still visibly shaken from what he saw. Around the two men, glass from the wine bottle spread itself across the floor, mixing with the drying wine and blood, glinting red and violet in the dimness.

The bleeding had to be stopped somehow. Quickly, Bayas stripped himself of his armour, allowing the metal to clatter to the floor for him to get to his shirt. The sack was still needed, and so bandages needed to be fashioned in another manner. As he sliced his shirt with a knife of his own, Bayas trembled and, for once, kept his mouth firmly shut. He didn't dare look at Morus until the latter addressed him.

"Your orders were to not help me," mumbled Morus, "The execution was only in case I do not survive this."

Bayas did not reply.

"Don't waste your efforts, I'll be a dead man soon."

"But you need to wait for Link," stammered Bayas, "You need to be alive then."

"So you believe he will return," said Morus, giving the soldier a weak half smile, "Is that the only reason why you're helping me?"

Again, Bayas said nothing as he tore off Morus's trousers to get to the man's legs. The blood was caked over every part of Morus's skin. Taking one strip of fabric, Bayas pressed it hard against a series of knife wounds that dotted Morus's outer thigh. The former captain watched as the soldier wrapped the cloth around the wounds, with Bayas's hands demonstrating unprecedented expertise in the procedure. He had made sure the blood was about to clot before taking another strip of fabric and placing it over another set of wounds.

"I can't feel a thing," Morus murmured to Bayas.

"You're shocked," explained Bayas, "You've lost so much blood that your body can't even function properly. I don't know the exact explanation behind it, but it's either that or you're that mentally scarred. Or both."

"How do you know so much?" inquired Morus, "You never struck me as someone with medical knowledge."

"My father is a healer," said Bayas, tying a firm knot on the second strip of bandage, "He taught me so much when I was little, but I was never interested in pursuing the healing profession."

"Who is your father?"

"Ornic. He lives near the East Wall," replied Bayas.

Morus smiled once again, "I went to him when I was very little."

"Did you?"

"You weren't born then, but there was a horrible sickness going around the Town and my father brought me to a healer by the name of Ornic. Very kind man, although I never would have expected you to be his son. You're both so different from one another."

Bayas merely nodded. The entire time, he had not even met Morus's eyes. It didn't matter how casual Morus was being about the entire matter, Bayas heart still jumped viciously. He had agreed to the Colonel's proposition that they visit Morus, and he had been given the case. At the time, Bayas did not know what was within the case, and neither did he know that the Colonel had selected Bayas because he had assumed that the soldier hated his captain. After all, Morus continually scolded Bayas while he was captain, and Colonel Bright did not understand the difference between hurt pride and destructive thoughts.

"Why are you crying?" Morus asked the soldier.

Bayas delved into the sack to ensure he had chosen the correct mix of herbs. But halfway through, he stopped moving, and for the first time stared directly at Morus.

"To answer your previous question, I want to keep you alive because you are my captain."

That had been unbearably difficult to say, not because Bayas was enraged, but because he had always admired Morus, as much as he had been scolded. Now Morus was close to death, which frightened Bayas in so many ways. The moment Bayas had said those words, Morus had shifted slightly to get a better look at the soldier.

"I'm not your captain anymore," Morus reminded the soldier.

And Bayas shook his head vigorously, holding back tears, "I'll only believe that when you die."

Deeply moved, Morus chuckled and allowed a tear to dribble down his cheek, "Even after all those times I berated you?"

Voice straining, Bayas answered, "Yes, and I'm sorry."

"What is there to be sorry about?"

"That I didn't stop him."

"But how could you have?" countered Morus, "He would have been after you next. And you must believe me when I say that because I've been his primary target for years."

This was preceded by a groan as Bayas pressed upon a shoulder wound. The shock was wearing off and soon the pain would take over. Realizing this, Bayas forced his hands to work more quickly, binding Morus's wounds.

"You won't be able to move easily for weeks," the healer told his patient, "Probably not at all for the first few days."

"It's not the stab wounds I'm concerned about," groaned Morus, his voice coming out in gasps, "Get the glass out from my waist."

"Oh, right," concurred Bayas nervously, "This will hurt, though, and not just because of the glass. From what I heard when he smashed that bottle into you, he's broken your ribs."

"I might have deserved it," announced Morus, stopping only to fight the pain, "You heard everything he said."

Bayas nodded but concentrated on his work until Morus called to him once again.

"You need to see if the Stones are missing."

The soldier stopped and frowned at Morus, "Why would the Stones be missing?"

"Reiza," Morus uttered before gasping as Bayas yanked out a shard of the wine bottle, "I'm sure she's responsible for Link's disappearance as well."

"So you're saying she was the one who murdered the King?" Bayas found that difficult to believe.

"You have to stop her somehow," Morus urged in between breaths, "She's not just some woman from Termina. She knows dark magic, and she took me over with that."

Bayas pulled a final glass shard from Morus's body before exclaiming, "I knew you wouldn't do it! So why didn't you request to see Princess Zelda instead of Link? Captain, you can solve everything!"

"You want me to call the grief-stricken, enraged Princess down here so I can tell her that I didn't kill her father when people saw me with their own eyes?"

This last question shamed Bayas because the soldier had not considered that. Instead of responding, Bayas took up the sack and dug through the mix of herbs.

"Once the blood fully clots, these will hasten the healing process," explained Bayas.

"Bayas," said Morus.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

The soldier smiled, "Anything for you, Captain."

Above them, cries and stomping indicated that a flurry of activity had begun. Morus and Bayas exchanged a glance, and Bayas climbed the stairs to open the trap door and investigate. As soon as the door was open, Morus could hear every word that was being hollered across the deck and through the barracks.

"We're under attack! The Zoras are the first to get it!"

"Get your weapons! Move, move, move!"

"It's Ganondorf's ships!"

And from below, Lord Hur's voice rang out through the floorboards.

"That's my father! What are you doing, get away from him! Whoever you are I will come for you, and you will regret that you ever murdered him!"

Bayas shut the door and ran back to Morus's side.

"Captain," he addressed Morus, "This will hurt, but I need to move you away from harm. All I will do is take my arms and -"

"Bayas," interrupted Morus, "I'm going to give you one last order that you need to follow."

The soldier looked at Morus in alarm, but chose to listen to his captain, "Yes, sir. What is it you need me to do?"

"Leave me and find the Stones," commanded Morus, "If they aren't in the King's old cabin, then you need to try and find Reiza. Ganondorf's here, and that means she might have them in her hands."

"Leave you?" burst Bayas in horror, "I can't just leave you here unprotected!"

"The Stones are more important," declared Morus.

There was a silence as Bayas stood, dropping his arms to his sides. He stared at Morus and contemplated for a moment, trying to find a rebuttal to what his captain had said. The soldier was aware that it was the habit of his captain to not waver when he set his mind to do something. So defeated, Bayas reached down for the pieces of his armour, addressing his captain as he dressed.

"Anything for you, Captain. I'll go find that woman and bring her down, if that's what you really want."

"Hyrule should be wanting the same thing, as well."

Bayas nodded in agreement. For a while the two men said nothing as Bayas's armour was piled onto the soldier's body, and it wasn't until the helmet was swung over Bayas's head did one of them speak.

"You might not die here, but in case I never see you again I want to say that you are the best captain any soldier could wish for," Bayas told Morus, "I would embrace you, but I don't think you would appreciate the pain."

It was true that Morus was not as weak as before, however Bayas was right in noting that the injuries were quite severe. In return, the disgraced captain offered Bayas the most reassuring smile he could muster, and said in response, "You may have been trouble, but I want you to know that at least your antics gave me something to laugh about in private."

Bayas snickered and pulled his sword out of his sheath. He shot one look at his captain before turning around, his footprints died red and violet from the blood and the wine. As the soldier mounted to the shaft door, he forced himself not to stare at Morus. Taking one deep breath, he pushed the door open and emerged into the upper barracks. Shutting the exit, Bayas gazed upward and took in the sounds of soldiers running to and fro, and captains barking out orders. The noise had mounted, which indicated that Ganondorf's ships were drawing closer and closer. In a matter of moments, Bayas would join his comrades upon the deck, fighting by their sides.

Well, there was no time to lose.

Bayas broke out into a run.

* * *

Zelda had heard the commotion and flung her door to the side, appearing to see soldiers scampering to and fro.

"Who's attacking us?" she hollered to a nearby captain, "And which ships?"

"Ganondorf, your Highness!" returned the captain.

That was an alarming piece of news. Hoisting up the hem of her dress, Zelda gathered near the left side of the Royal Ship, where a good number of soldiers were as well. What she saw was a horde of black ships, masts tall, foreboding, approaching the Hyruleans with breakneck speed. The Zoras who were at the very back of the fleet were the first to face Ganondorf's henchmen, and a fierce battle had broken out already. Aboard the other ships, the other Hyruleans were in a panic, trying to adjust their battle positions to brace for Ganondorf's attack.

How could this happen? Zelda faced the young captain once again.

"There was no warning? How could they have come so close yet remained unseen?"

"One minute there was nothing, then they just appeared! Right out of thin air!" reported the captain.

So Ganondorf was employing dark magic now.

"Signal the other captains to slow some of their ships down and fit between two Hyrulean ships," ordered Zelda as she walked to her cabin, "We can't allow Ganondorf to prod his ships into the gaps between our own."

"Aye, Princess!" returned the captain, "You hear that, boys? Get a signal going!"

Quickly, Zelda shut and bolted her cabin door. The Princess rifled through a bag and threw a pair of trousers and a shirt upon her bed before undoing her dress. No matter what people said, she was next-in-line to the Hyrulean throne, and therefore the most powerful figure in the country; if any man told her to stay put, she was not going to listen. Yanking the shirt over her head, Zelda located the sturdy pair of boots she needed for battle and the light armour that lay at its side. She needed to be at the very front lines, and swiftly.

It took her some time to fit the armour properly, as only men in Hyrule wore armour. But once she did, the Princess took one last look at herself in the mirror, just to see what she had become. Grief had taken its toll upon Zelda. Her skin had become slightly gray, and her eyes had lost the shine and brilliance that made them so admirable. However, all was not lost as in place of the luminescence was a burning ferocity that gave her the air of a commander. This fire was exactly what the Princess needed in this precise moment, and she realized that for once, she did not want to change anything about herself.

It didn't matter that Link wasn't here, she would lead the troops herself.

But Link...

Zelda looked away and swung a quiver of arrows onto her back. Where the Hero was, she did not know but wanted to know so badly even though now was not the time to think about him. What Zelda needed to do was defend her people, yet for once she doubted her abilities. In one instant, Zelda had transformed into a brave general into a frightened girl, and one more look in the mirror showed her this.

Disgusted, the Princess turned towards the door.

* * *

Reiza never imagined that the clinking of stones against her hip would make her so happy. Funny how sometimes the most mundane of things brings us the most joy, which Reiza now understood. The Terminian had retreated away from the Hylian soldiers, and now stood behind all of them gazing at the black ships with pride. She had done this. If it were not for her, Ganondorf never would have been able to conduct such an attack.

And without her, he wouldn't have the Stones, either.

The handsome captain? He proved to be no use. Perhaps if he had been willing to steal the Stones without protest, Reiza would have spared him. In a way, the execution would be justified as the man had disobeyed the wife of the future ruler of the entire world. Although, Reiza did regret that Morus had seen the sword and shield of the Hero. But what could anyone do now?

Oh, one more regret: the fact that Reiza had not brought weapons with her.

From afar, Reiza could see Ganondorf standing, arms folded as his soldiers mounted the first of the Hyrulean ships. From the distance, Reiza could swear that she saw the evil lord stretch his lips into a smile just for her, to congratulate her on her work. She wasn't entirely sure, but nevertheless, Reiza decided to return the smile in case.

The sight of Princess Zelda storming out of her cabin nearly prompted Reiza into laughter. It wasn't that the Princess looked ridiculous, it was the fact that she had even made the effort to appear on deck at all. Without Link, the Hyruleans were in trouble, for Reiza knew that the one man Ganondorf feared was the Hylian Hero.

Come to think of it, Reiza did as well, as she could not fathom the amount of destruction the Hylian would deal Ganondorf and his allies should he return. But what of the worry? He was dead now! Drowned in the ocean and the Princess still did not know. Without the Hero, the Hyruleans were fighting a losing war, not that Reiza was bothered by it one bit.

But should the Hero return...

Reiza clenched her jaw and concentrated on waiting for Ganondorf. The Hyruleans were fierce fighters, so Ganondorf had planned that the only goal that needed to be met was Reiza's restoration onto the black ships. After that, they would speed to the Glass Palace. The Hyruleans could chase them all they wanted but they would be defeated eventually. They would be defeated upon the final Island, the most important of them all.

"Hold on boys! This won't be very pretty!" hollered a captain aboard a different ship.

Every Hyrulean watched as the other ships attempted to block Ganondorf, which irritated Reiza beyond imagination. Time was of the essence, and the Hyruleans were, once again, in the way. They were the obstacle blocking Reiza from even picking up a sword and fighting, as there were so many of them that Reiza would surely be killed at one point or another.

The sound of Zora fins zinged through the air, and blood sprayed in the distance. Night was about to come, and soon the Hyruleans would have to prove their perseverance in the dark.


	29. A War and A Prayer

As much as Ruto wanted it, there was no escape route for the Zoras to flee, leaving them trapped as the black ships bore down upon them. The Zora Queen had stood guard near the back end of the ship when Ganondorf's fleet had appeared. Slowly, what looked to be a layer of mist peeled away bit by bit to reveal the Gerudo's army, flying over the water to meet the Zoras. Turning to her soldiers, Ruto had hollered and ordered all her men to ready themselves for battle. It took much longer than she anticipated, however, as the majority of the soldiers did not realize that there was a threat because mere moments ago all they saw was the ocean. The Zoras were caught. A Hyrulean ship directly in front of her own prevented Ruto from fleeing, and the same situation was duplicated among the other Zora ships. Fortunately, some other Hyrulean ships had been ordered to slow and fill the gaps that separated the Zoras from one another.

But Ganondorf's ships did get close enough to board the Zoras'.

The frenzy had reached Ruto so suddenly that she almost had no time to react. It seemed as though Ganondorf had ordered his ships emptied of his henchmen, for they now poured down upon the Zoras, their swords drawn and limbs flailing.

"Board their ships somehow!" cried a Goron from nearby.

No, sink their ships was more like it.

Waving her arms, Ruto's soldiers understood exactly what she meant. A handful dove overboard, bodies gracefully landing in the water, and the Queen watched as they approached Ganondorf's ships; the least Ruto could do was try and stem the flow of Ganondorf's men.

"The wood's strong," remarked a Zora captain, "You know that they won't be able to cut through it easily."

Never again would Ruto allow the Hylians to select their ships, especially in days of war.

Ganondorf's ships were trapped by the back lines, leaving Ruto and her troops to fend off a smaller portion of the Gerudo's army than they would have it the other Hyruleans had not helped them. While the deck was a chaotic mess of limbs and blood, it was fairly manageable. Ducking, the Queen Zora ran her fin through the body of a shadow beast, kicking it off as soon as the beast went limp. A few soldiers stood by her side, releasing their fins, watching the razor-sharp ends slice through the air. When the fins were irretrievable, spears came into play. All was going reasonably well, and perhaps Ganondorf's army would not reach the other Hyruleans.

Or so Ruto thought before she heard a commotion coming from her right. In the distance, faraway Zora voices were hollering to one another and thereby ensured that Ruto could not ignore them. The Zora Queen turned her head in time to see two black ships crawl to her Zoras' sides, one on either end.

So Ganondorf was going to go from the outside in.

Retreating to the front of her ship, Ruto grabbed a torch and waved it frantically, pointing to her sides. She waited attentively as the signals traveled down to the Royal Ship.

The response was disturbing. A captain near Ruto threw his forearms into a cross formation, indicating that the other Hyruleans could not do anything. Ruto slammed the torch back into place as the same captain pointed to his own left and right. The Queen Zora flung her arms in frustration.

"I know that!" she screeched, "Get your troops to help! I can't have my Zoras attacked from two directions!"

Look! The captain indicated, jumping up and down.

"Why are you panicking?" grumbled Ruto before complying.

More than one ship had made its way along Hyrulean lines, and now the black masts were emerging near the Gerudos, and even the Hylians.

Where were her Zoras? Ruto examined the water that lay between the ships, but found that she could no longer see a thing as night had rolled in. Slamming her fist into the wood, Ruto stormed up to one of her captains. The Zora directed her anger upon the pair of Stalfos the captain was fending off, driving her fist into the head of one and slashing the other with her fin. With two kicks, the Stalfos were sent flying and Ruto quickly gripped her captain in place.

"Why aren't any of the ships sinking? I gave orders long ago!" she growled.

"Your Majesty," replied the captain, "I really do not know. We can't see a thing anymore because of the dark."

Dejected, Ruto flung the captain's arm away, "If you hear any word about that, you need to relate everything to me."

And the Zora Queen sprinted back into the fray, while on the other ships the Hyruleans were gearing for battle.

* * *

"Brace for them!"

"Archers, stay back! We can't afford to lose any one of you right now!"

"Keep them from reaching the Royal Ship! Board them if you have to!"

None of the Hylians were willing to stand near the incoming ships. As quickly as they had tried to flee, Ganondorf's army had appeared out of nowhere and utilized the element of surprise to their advantage. Now, all the soldiers could do was watch as the Gerudo's henchmen poured onto their deck.

"Attack! Just attack them we've got nothing else we can do! Go men, go!" hollered a captain.

Taking up their arms, the Hylians waited for the creatures to near.

"For Hyrule!" belted the same captain before leading the charge.

Yelling at the top of their lungs, the Hylians rushed forward, meeting Ganondorf's soldiers with a loud clang that echoed through the night air. The force of the impact was so strong, some unlucky Hylians were immediately knocked off their feet and pinned to the ground. Others recovered quickly and slashed for dear life, driving deeper through enemy lines. Away from the heart of the battle, the captain snatched a torch and took it with him, yanking the fire and forcing it to stay with him. Torch in his left and a sword in his right, the captain sidestepped a blow and slashed an Iron Knuckle in the leg, causing his opponent to fall upon his knees. However, the captain chose not to finish off his opponent and instead drove ahead, the torch blazing by his side. He was so close to the edge; only a few feet and he would be able to jump on board the other ship.

But that wasn't his goal.

The captain ducked to the ground as a wolf bounded over him, missing his head by inches and landing instead on another soldier's sword. Losing no time, the captain stood and threw the torch, launching the burning beacon past the monsters that flowed towards him. As the Hylian slammed his body onto the wooden deck, he heard the crackling of fire as the torch ate the wood. It might be quickly put out, but at least it was something to distract the monsters. Howls and yelps followed, confirming the captain's hypothesis as the fire began to spread.

Though the captain would love being considered a military genius for what he just did, he much preferred that others think of the same thing. Fortunately, as the captain rose to his feet once again he saw that what he just did was being replicated. Drawing his sword, the captain fought again, stabbing and dealing blows to his opponents.

"We need more people!" he yelled to a nearby soldier, "Tell the captains on the interior boats to send some men over or we'll be done for anyhow!"

The fire hadn't done much and had been quickly extinguished.

"They need to throw down some planks and hop over!"

"Aye, sir!" acknowledged the soldier, "I'll run and tell them that!"

"Good on you, lad! Just make sure you -"

Before he could finish speaking, the captain fell, his face planting in the wood. He felt as though a torch was burning upon his back, as though he had been set on fire. Something rested between his shoulder blades, leaving the captain immobile and useless.

"Take the captain down! Take the captain down!"

A handful of robust, young men rushed to his side. The first two had their swords drawn and battled ferociously with Ganondorf's soldiers as the three men left knelt by their captain.

"This'll hurt, sir, but you'll thank me later," warned one as he yanked whatever was caught in the captain's back.

The captain screamed and squirmed as the two other men held him down. He saw that in his soldier's hand glittered the head of an arrow, followed by a long wooden shaft that extended upwards. The Hylian plastered his face against the deck, but only for a short time as he was dragged to the trap door that led into the lower barracks. While the pain made sure the captain stayed slumped, his own men were moving their feet as quickly as they could manage to evade the blows of enemies.

"Make way for the captain!" screeched the soldiers.

"Captain Rale's been shot!" some of the incoming soldiers alerted the others, "We need a replacement captain from another ship!"

Rale had never had so much of a fuss made over him, not that he was about to complain. As the sounds of battle raged around him, the captain felt the blood trickle down his back. Whoever had shot the arrow was clearly only a few feet away from him, as the head and shaft had shattered through his armour.

Wait. They had gone right through his armour.

"Get me down there!" shrieked Rale, "The wound's going to be infected if you don't right now!"

"We're working on it, sir!" responded one of his carriers, "It's just pulling through this-"

An arrow soared by the soldier's ear, narrowly missing its mark. This effectively stopped the talking, and the soldiers lumbered even more determinately through the ship.

Why did they construct only one trap door on this whole ship?

Hylians and beasts struggled all around them, and the occasional corpse would block the captain from the barracks.

Meanwhile, Ganondorf's ships were creeping towards Princess Zelda.

* * *

"And there's no way to stop them?" roared Zelda.

"Your Majesty, we can't afford to break the fleet into pieces because Ganondorf will take advantage of that!"

"Why aren't the Zoras sinking any of the boats? Not one of Ganondorf's ships has collapsed and here they are gradually coming towards us!"

"You must admit that perhaps the Gerudo is a genius. His plan is extremely effective and -"

"And only possible because none of us had detected the black magic that he was using!" finished Zelda, "Prepare the soldiers for battle!"

"Princess," interjected Colonel Bright, "You do realize that Ganondorf is approaching on both sides, which means that we will eventually be surrounded and -"

"And which is why the soldiers need to be ready to fight," finished Zelda, "I wouldn't bother with any of the land formations we're so famous for since none of them work at sea."

"So what do you suggest, Princess?"

"A free for all," replied Zelda, "Because that seems to be what sea battles are like. Look at what's happening on the other ships."

"Perhaps we ought to deliver you to another ship? Maybe one near the center? The ships at the interior don't seem to be attacked," advised the Colonel.

"No," Zelda stood firmly against the man, "We are fighting for my country, and seeing as I am the last remaining member of the Royal Family, this is my duty now."

"But you are not yet Queen, merely a Princess! Hyrulean law states that you may -"

"Bright," interrupted Zelda, "Leave me be."

Disgruntled, the Colonel was so close to leaving the Princess on her own when he turned back to her, "Who leads the Red Regiment? Morus is, after all..."

"You lead them, then," answered Zelda, eyes still locked onto the battle, "The troops are yours for the time being."

The Colonel could barely suppress a smile. He had had his revenge, and it had been sweeter than he had ever expected.

But even if Colonel Bright had not successfully hidden his malicious grin, Zelda would not have noticed either way. Contrary to what people perceived, the Princess was not watching the battleground formed of glorious ships. Rather, the Princess had her eyes tilted towards the night sky, searching for a sign among the stars. She knew that Morus had not demanded a meeting with Link just to evade the law, but because the former captain knew that Link would return. Though Zelda could not bring herself to forgive Morus, she sensed that the condemned was right, and that Link would come catapulting through the sky and land upon the ship. He would be dressed in his famous green cap and tunic, and he would hold his sword high, all for Hyrule.

How Zelda wished that would all happen now.

"Your Majesty," a soldier caught her attention, "This man here wants to speak with you."

Zelda turned to face the newcomer. A torch threw light upon a fine face, and a nest of blond hair that swayed in the sea breeze. He was clutching his sword very tightly, and his face was wrung with anxiety. The Princess had seen the soldier on many occasions, though she never spoke to him. He was the same soldier who had his arms flung around the waists of two girls on the Island of Flowers, grinning boyishly and giving Morus a nonchalant attitude. Apparently, his ability to disobey was astounding, and his capacity for mischief impressed even the most experienced of jesters. Therefore, Zelda found it odd how the boy who held such a reputation could stand before her, face serious.

The soldier spoke first, bowing low at the hips.

"Your Majesty, my name is Bayas."

"Yes, Bayas?" Zelda prodded him to hurry, "You need to speak with me?"

"May I approach you?"

Well, this was rather unexpected.

"By all means," consented Zelda.

Briskly, Bayas marched to her side. To Zelda's surprise, the soldier then bent to reach her ear, and whispered to her as though they were the most intimate of friends.

"That woman, Reiza, she is the one responsible for your father's death."

Zelda stiffened. Bayas saw this, but continued even more urgently, "She wanted the Stones, she works for Ganondorf. You don't understand, Your Majesty, but I believe she has dark magic that she used against Morus. She is the one responsible for Link's disappearance."

The Princess pulled away, uncertain.

"How do you know this?"

"Morus told me everything! He discovered Link's sword and shield in the barracks and you know Link would never leave either one of those!"

"Morus told you everything," scoffed Zelda, "We should always trust the guilty, shouldn't we?"

"Your Majesty, you can check for yourself! Morus speaks the truth!" Bayas was almost pleading with her now, "You can't execute Morus because he isn't guilty! Reiza is somewhere on this ship and I'm going to find her!"

"Take him away," Zelda ordered a pair of guards not too far away, "He speaks too much."

"Wait!" returned Bayas, distancing himself from the guards, "You've got to believe him!"

Zelda acted as though Bayas no longer mattered, even though she was listening to every word from his mouth.

"Princess Zelda! I'm serious!" pleaded Bayas, "You can enter the barracks and check for yourself; everything is as Morus said it was!"

The guards were pulling him away, leaving Zelda by herself once again. Ganondorf's ships were drawing closer, intent on wrecking havoc. But Zelda began to wonder. Perhaps the young man was telling the truth. Was Link's sword and shield really upon the ship?

She started at a brisk walk towards the barrack door. Deep inside her heart, Zelda hoped and prayed that Bayas was telling the truth. Morus would still not be spared due to lack of evidence and the fact that, for the instant, the Council reigned above Zelda as she had not found a husband (nobles were never friendly towards successful farm boys). But perhaps she could blame Reiza for something, show that the woman was guilty in some way.

"Your Majesty!"

Zelda ignored the call, and ran down the stairs to the barracks. Dodging the soldiers who ran to and fro, Zelda navigated the maze of hammocks and bedsheets to arrive at Link's designated quarters. Quickly, she threw the curtain aside with her hand.

Bayas hadn't lied.

Mouth agape, Zelda stared at the Master Sword, its unmistakable form standing against Link's shield. This wasn't a vision, nor was it a dream; Zelda knew what she saw was real.

She pursed her lips and balled her fists. Reiza, what had you done?

Zelda yanked the sword out from her sheath, closed the curtains, and proceeded to the deck. Her footsteps thumped hard against the wood, but no one noticed the Princess's new mood as they simply assumed she was preparing for war. What Zelda was going to do, instead, was to conduct a hunt for one person who was hiding upon this ship. As furious as she was with Reiza, half of the rage was against herself, for not noticing that something was wrong. She had been there, standing in front of the forest where Link had last been seen. She had believed an old woman, and she had returned to the inn thinking that Link would simply reappear. Half of the fault was hers.

But the hunt was forcibly postponed. The moment Zelda emerged upon the deck, a flurry of hands pushed and shoved her into the royal cabin before the Princess could even respond.

"It's for your safety," they said before slamming and locking the door.

"No!" shouted Zelda, pounding with her fists, "Let me out! I've got something to do!"

What a lucky day for the Princess of Hyrule.

Plastering her ear against the door, Zelda could hear snippets of exchanges taking place upon the deck. Ganondorf's ships were near, and the Hylians had decided to protect the Princess.

"Let me out!"

The pounding was futile, and Zelda sunk to the floor. Running her fingers through her hair, the Princess realized just how controllable she was despite her title.

* * *

The Hylians were beside themselves now, which almost made Reiza giggle. Ganondorf himself was approaching on the right, and it was to there Reiza would sprint once the Gerudo was close enough. The Stones were against her hip, inside the satchel the King had possessed before his untimely death. Patiently, Reiza waited, biding away the time. So far, she had been completely forgotten.

Until she saw the soldier.

Ah, the blond boy. The one who could not bring himself to abide by rules, and who could not understand why he needed to. What did he want?

The boy was pointing a sword at her.

"Give me the Stones," he growled.

Well, someone was bound to find out at one point or another.

"Apparently the little kitten has come out to play," taunted Reiza, swinging in the boy's direction, "Is that a claw?"

"Hand the Stones over, or I'll come get them from you myself."

"I don't think so," retorted Reiza, "Besides, what kind of man kills an unarmed woman?"

"But when the unarmed woman has started all this disaster and chaos, why not?"

"Hm," replied Reiza, "You're a lot wittier than I assumed."

"No one else knows about this, because no one believes me."

"Of course they don't!" cackled Reiza, "Your captain murdered your King!"

"Or maybe you did," the boy was approaching her.

From the way he held his sword, Reiza could tell that the boy was an inexperienced fighter. In that case, he would not pose one problem.

"You don't want to fight me," Reiza cautioned Bayas, "I don't think you know just how powerful I am even without magic."

"All I see is a pretty face, nothing more."

Reiza sighed, "All right, do what you need to do and be quick about it."

The boy rushed at her. Falling to the ground, Reiza dodged a swipe by Bayas and swept the boy off his feet, sending him crashing to the deck. He did not know how to move properly in armour, and Reiza took advantage of that. Pouncing upon him, Reiza slammed down the boy's sword and brought her foot down repeatedly upon his wrist until a crack and scream signaled his weakness. The sword was upon the floor, and Reiza grabbed it and slunk away just as Bayas tried to pound her with his shield.

One stab through the neck was all it took.

Everything had happened to swiftly, Bayas did not realize he was bleeding from the neck until Reiza stood above him.

"Not even a scratch," she said, motioning to her body, "And say bye to your captain Morus. Shame. Such a handsome man, what a waste."

All Bayas could do was gurgle. And so Reiza took his sword and left him behind the cabins, where no one could see. She left him to waste away, only to be discovered until after the battle.

* * *

"They're here! They're here!"

There goes Hyrule, and everything Zelda had ever lived for. Inside her lonely cabin, the Princess could not see the sky; she couldn't search for Link. Perhaps by some chance she could escape and join her troops upon the battlefield. But Zelda's biggest wish was to see Link again, to have him save the Hyruleans once again.

The Zoras weren't sinking the boats, and each battle was a virtual stalemate. A waste of lives and energy.

Zelda dropped to her knees, her hands clasped, and her eyes closed.

"Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom," her voice shook, "Help us in this time of need. The only prayer I would like to leave you is to bring Link back to us so evil can be vanquished. I can't fight this war alone, I can't stop Ganondorf by myself."

A collective yell snapped Zelda's attention. Ganondorf's men had boarded the ship.

Zelda returned to her prayers, "Don't let us sink like this."

The clanging of swords.

"For the first time, I'm truly terrified."

Screams and shouts.

"Perhaps I don't deserve your grace, but Link does."

Bodies fell to the ground.

"I know you love him just as I do, though in a different way."

Arrows flew.

"So please, bring him back. Hyrule shouldn't end like this."

Zelda folded.

"Just bring him back. Please, I pray you."


	30. Return

Reiza dashed towards the flood of Ganondorf's soldiers the moment they landed on board the Royal Ship. She was absolutely delighted, her feet flying across the wood, her hand clutching her skirt, keeping it in place as the wind tried to hold her back.

Not that anything could accomplish that, though.

All that mattered was that Ganondorf had arrived, and there was no time to lose in delivering the prize she had rightfully won. The Hylians barely noticed Reiza as she bounded forwards, snaking and weaving her way through their ranks while they charged. Swords clanged around her, but no metal touched Reiza in her race to find the Gerudo. Even from far away, she could see Ganondorf look at her, arms folded, but a relieved smile upon his face because he knew that the Stones were in her hands. Recognizing Reiza, Ganondorf's men made way for her, making sure that no weapon could strike her, engulfing her and welcoming her back into their ranks.

One of the Stalfos held a plank in place, and all for her.

A few steps and a leap catapulted Reiza into Ganondorf's arms, which immediately carried her into the nearby cabin so as to escape attack.

Ganondorf did not have to say a word. Detaching the satchel from her dress sash, Reiza presented the Stones to the Gerudo.

"This is what you wanted, if I remember correctly," the Terminian declared proudly as a very eager Ganondorf poured the Stones into his palm.

Unable to hold in his excitement, Ganondorf's laughter boomed and echoed through the cabin, threatening to shatter a nearby mirror.

"I knew I didn't make a mistake in bringing you," he said to Reiza, twirling the three Stones in his hand, "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Tell me Reiza: how did you do it?"

"Well, the captain I was with has been sentenced to death; it will only be a matter of days before his life will be ended."

"I don't understand."

"I don't have enough magic in reserve right now. Spent it all on him; who knew his willpower would be so strong?"

"I see," continued Ganondorf, examining the Stones so closely that even a jeweler would be envious of his insight.

Reiza strutted to the mirror, fixing and combing through her hair with her white hands. "We will be leaving now, I presume?" she asked Ganondorf.

"Not yet."

"No?"

"The Hyruleans aren't debilitated enough; they can definitely still hunt us in the state they're in right now."

"Why don't we demolish them all right now, then? We might as well if you think that way."

"Wouldn't you love to rule them all, though? To have them see what it's like to live under you and me?" Ganondorf flung an arm around Reiza, "These are Princess Zelda's most loyal men. I would prefer to see them tremble and switch alliances myself."

"Whatever you say," Reiza was too proud of her achievements to dispute, "Just get me a sword."

"As you wish," returned Ganondorf.

* * *

"Keep the torches lit!" hollered Colonel Bright, blood running down the length of his face, "Don't let it go dark!"

The moon was disappearing behind a thick cloud in a bid to shield her eyes against the raging battle. Metal met metal as the Red Regiment battled under their new commander, though the process was frustrating. Contrary to what he had assumed, Colonel Bright recognized that the men were not responding willingly to him.

But what did he care? He had the position, that was all that mattered.

A young man fell next to him, an arrow through his neck. Dead. There was no question about it. No one could survive battle wounds like that.

With a yell, a group of swordsmen dashed by the Colonel and met Ganondorf's army with a force so intense that the men and monsters nearly fell on top of one another. Quickly, both sides regrouped and began to duel, parrying and dodging each other's blows. One soldier brought down his opponent with ease, and turned to help his friends defeat their own adversaries when an arrow shot through the air. One cry and the soldier was upon one knee, but continually fighting for his life.

Morus had trained them well.

Yet they still needed more men.

"Give me that!" the Colonel said, snatching the torch from a young boy assigned to the Colonel's side. Flinging the torch over his head, the Colonel circled the fire around and about, the signal that more troops were needed. A torch from a nearby ship responded in the same fashion; so they were obtaining help after all.

Bright turned back to the men who had sprinted by him. They had managed to chop down their attackers, but an Iron Knuckle with a gigantic ax now faced them. The ax flew wildly through the air, and from afar Colonel could hear one of the men yell, "Pull back!" And most of the men followed.

Except for the one who couldn't.

The man with the arrow through the leg continued to fight. What else could he do? He was trapped, cornered as the ax swung around and around. He took one deep breath, and lifted his sword and shield. His left arm was quickly knocked away by the butt of the ax, sending his shield arm to the ground, leaving him open. The Death Stance, the Hyrulean military dubbed it. The moment you were open, you were a dead man. Perhaps you were fortunate and managed to survive with minor wounds.

This man wasn't so lucky.

Blood erupted and splattered on the deck as the ax swung through the Hylian's body. Another dead soldier, another dead husband.

The Colonel decided to signal again.

* * *

"I can't reach their ship from here, captain!" shouted Mattock as he peered down at the water, "We've got to get closer somehow!"

He was young, and he was pretentious, just like any other man of twenty in the Hyrulean army. But most of all, he was known for being lucky. Lucky with women, lucky with money, and now lucky with life as his ship stood away from most of the battle.

Mattock was standing at the edge of the ship, looking down at the water, judging the distance from where he was to where he needed to be. Thinking his captain never heard him, Mattock turned his tall frame to face the captain.

"I said we can't reach their ship from here, captain!" he repeated.

"Yes, Mattock! I'm not deaf, I heard exactly what you said!" scolded the captain, "But orders are orders, now you boys can get yourselves over to the ship right now!"

"But we'll have to swim to do that!" retorted Mattock.

The look on the captain's face said it all. Mattock squirmed.

"We'll have to swim to get there," Mattock repeated.

"Take off your armour and keep your sword," ordered the captain, "They wanted the Blue Regiment, we have to go. And don't even think about telling me to move the ship closer; We can't break the ranks or Ganondorf's blasted troops will come right in."

"I'll be killed once I get there!" protested Mattock, jumping into the air, "I have to wear some armour!"

"Mattock!" growled the captain, "Since you're so keen on getting over to the Royal Ship, you can test the waters first!"

There was no choice. Gulping, Mattock clenched his helmet between flattened palms, and pulled to reveal his crown of black hair and equally dark eyes. Paler than a sheet, Mattock and the men continued, removing greaves, gauntlets, and more.

"Only the Zoras are supposed to do this!" he shouted to the captain as he prepared to dive in, "Did you see what happened to them at least two hours ago? Whole bunch of them came screaming from the water, crawling up their ship. You figure something happened?"

"Mattock!" this was a last order.

"All right! I'm going I'm going!"

And down into the water dove Mattock, his friends standing by to watch as he swam to the still Royal Ship.

Mattock was a strong swimmer, and parted the water gracefully with his hands. He could swear that he was paddling in the sky, as the water was so black it was night in the ocean as well. But no matter, Mattock could beat the cold, he could beat the night sky on earth.

No one except his own regiment had noticed him, and Mattock was getting closer and closer to the Royal Ship where all the fighting was taking place. He could hear people dying, he could hear the squelch that marked when blood shot out of his comrades. But most of all, he heard the clang of metal and the whiz of arrows over his head. Just a few feet and a climb. After that, Mattock would be part of the battle.

That's when he saw the water ripple.

Mattock froze and tread water with his feet. His head stayed still as a rock while his dark, dark eyes darted frantically from side to side. Had he been dreaming it?

"Move!" his captain was shouting, "Move!"

But Mattock couldn't move. He needed to find out if he had been hallucinating.

There it was again! This time further off. Whatever it was, it was circling around in the water, swimming in laps metres away from him.

In that instant, Mattock knew why the Zoras had scrambled from the water. Something was there, some creature that would attack at any moment.

Mattock kicked back.

The creature stopped, then turned to Mattock.

Mattock swam for his life.

"Mattock! What are you doing?" the captain was shrieking, "To the ship! To the ship!"

Furtively, Mattock glanced behind him repeatedly. If he hadn't been such a strong swimmer, he would have been dead long ago.

Then he saw the jaws.

"No! Stay away!" Mattock hollered, "Someone help me! It's after me!"

"What are you talking about, boy?" answered the captain, "Cowardice is not an excuse!"

Touching the wood of the ship, Mattock realized that the ladder was to be found further down, at the side of the ship. In despair, Mattock banged his fists against the side of the ship, his mouth open in panic.

"Shoot it!" he was crying, "Shoot it!"

At that moment, Mattock swung out his sword and touched something under the water.

The creature reared out of the water and roared. Above them, the captain and his handful of men gaped.

"Archer! I need an archer!"

Mattock dropped his sword and blasted away in the ladder's direction. He had to get there, and he only had a certain amount of time.

"Mattock! Swim!" his captain was screeching, "Swim!"

"Get it away! Get it away!" responded the soldier.

"I need an archer!"

"Shoot it!"

All the soldiers could see were Mattock's ghost white face and equally pale hands flop frantically in the water, splashing. Up and down Mattock forced his arms and legs to travel, his eyes wide, a hunted prey. He paid no more attention to the sound of war and all voices drowned, eventually fading away.

"Help me! Do something!"

An arrow flew through the air and missed.

Mattock was a lucky man. Luck had never betrayed Mattock. And Mattock never expected luck to betray him.

His hand was upon the ladder, but it was already too late.

The beast reared its head once again, and Mattock tried to paddle away as the arrows fell all about him. With a final shriek, he was brought under the water as his comrades gaped in disbelief.

Mattock was dead.

There was more rippling in the water, indicating that more of these beasts were to be found. But what were they? Were they Ganondorf's? Could they sink the ships?

"I want you to take them out, all of them!" commanded the captain, "All of them! Right now!"

Arrows flickered through the air, landing in the water one by one, completely missing their targets. The captain threw his hands up into the air.

"Bring a lantern! We can't make guess work of this!" he hollered to a pair of soldiers who immediately took off and returned, shining their torches into the water.

The ripples were clear now, and one of the soldiers fired an arrow. Instead of the stark splash of an arrow head hitting the water, a dull thud was heard from below. The soldiers cheered, but stopped when the beast reared its head from the sea. A pair of extremely dull, but fangs was what they first saw. They were not a pair of swords, which explained why they hadn't eaten away at the ship, yet the pair of fangs were enough for the beast to eat flesh. There was no question how Mattock had perished, especially after the fangs gave way to the head and body of enormous vipers with fins.

The captain decided the Royal Ship would have to fend for itself.

"We're not going over there," the captain said to a nearby soldier, "Take the torch and make the signal."

* * *

Hiding near the Royal Cabin, Colonel Bright saw the signal. Back and forth, back and forth.

They were not sending troops.

"Blasphemy!" he roared, "Blasphemy! Who do they think they are?"

The Colonel cut down a Stalfo with his sword. The enemy was pouring in from both sides of the ship and they were crowding the deck. Blood coated the wood, causing some to slide and to slip, to fight for balance. The light was no longer glowing orange, but red as well as the blood diffused even into the ember of the torches. Thrown off the ships, unfortunate soldiers shot through the dark abyss between the ships, disappearing with heavy, resounding splashes in the water.

At the center of the ship, a lone soldier lay sprawled as the war waged on around him. He couldn't recall why he was lying on the deck, but he just couldn't move. The soldier's head rested on the bloody wood, distant from the world. But the soldier didn't notice; he assumed that he was still in reality, that everything was the same. He didn't notice that the embers burned a little dimmer for him, or that the blood felt more dry. So he lay there sprawled, confused as the commotion around him galloped onwards.

A second soldier was running by, and the lone soldier called out to him.

"Hey! Bring me up!"

The second soldier stopped and looked at the lone soldier who said, "I can't move for some reason, you've got to get me up so I can fight!"

The second soldier lowered his eyes, and his eyes widened. Slowly, the second soldier met the lone man with his eyes, bewildered.

"I can't," the soldier replied, "I can't."

His voice was faint, fading into the background like the colours of an old tapestry that was gradually losing its form.

The lone soldier was angry, "Can't you help a fallen comrade? Where's your honour, huh?"

The soldier shook his head, sword in the air, "Not when they have fallen as you have."

Away ran the man, and the lone soldier threw a hand into the air, calling "Hey!" with all his might. How had he fallen?

The embers grew dimmer.

Turning his head, the lone soldier stared at the gaping eyes of corpses. Some were young, others were veterans, and still more were beasts he did not recognize. Both armies had been well-trained; there weren't as many corpses on board as the lone soldier had thought there would be. So what was he doing upon the ground, immobile?

He was thirsty and licked his lips, but found that his tongue and mouth were dry.

And so the lone soldier with no legs lay sprawled upon the deck. No one stooped down to help, because there was no help that could deliver the soldier from Death.

But the lone soldier did not know that. He did, however, finally notice that he was hallucinating. After all, something was in the sky, flying with gigantic wings over the battlefield. Soaring and tumbling in the air, that something was joined by a group of other somethings just like it. Together they soared, high above the sea, occasionally flapping their wings to stay in the air.

Then the most curious thing happened that thoroughly convinced the lone soldier he was hallucinating.

The winged somethings were swooping down, and now cries of surprise resounded about the two warring fleets. One of them, the leader of them all, carried something in his arms instead of the rods his companions carried. Arrows shot at them, now, but not the beautiful silver arrows of the Hylians. The black arrows of Ganondorf were missing their targets, as the winged figures dodged them skillfully, continuing their drive towards the fleet.

Feeling no strength, the lone and legless soldier closed his eyes, ensuring that the glorious winged somethings made the last image he saw during his life.

Link had prepared himself for this moment. The moment Marius released the Hero from his arms, Link quickly drew his sword, pointing it downwards to land upon the head of an Iron Knuckle. A young soldier alongside him was the first to notice Link, and cupped his hands to cry, "Link is here! Link has returned!"

Unwilling to waste any time, Link attacked the nearest Stalfo, slicing the skeleton in half. Around him, the men fought with renewed vigor. The Hero of Hyrule had returned, and he had brought allies with him to do battle with Ganondorf. Link slashed a shadow beast and looked towards the sky. Seeing Marius, Link smiled, saluted, and watched as the angel returned his gesture. The Hero stepped back and observed as Marius and his angels weaved through the air, grazing the tops of the soldiers' heads, taking out Ganondorf's troops. They extended from the Royal Ship to the other ships, causing the Hyruleans to cheer and Ganondorf's henchmen to shudder. The angels left terror and wonder in their wake as was so typical of divine intervention. They inspired and they caused despair, they rallied and they disunited, they salvaged and they slew. Streaking through the dark, the angels plowed through Ganondorf's troops, who were taken completely by surprise at the sudden introduction of a new enemy. Those who survived the angels' onslaught were treated to the blades of Hyrulean soldiers taking advantage of their opponents' surprise.

Satisfied with what he was seeing, Link turned and swung his sword, yelling as he dove into the action. A stalfo was his first victim, and a moblin was his second. The Hero was a bird of prey, and all those unfortunate enough to be in his path were knocked down and slashed without a second thought. Word of Link's arrival had spread like wildfire through the Royal Ship, and through the other ships as well. Instead of groaning and grunting, the Hyruleans now roared as they battled, hollering threats to Ganondorf's henchmen or patriotic ululations to their country. Inspired by this sudden turn of spirit, Link also felt a sense of pride, that his efforts all these years meant something to Hyrule.

It was excellent being back home.

On one of the black ships, Ganondorf stood still in his tracks. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Hadn't Reiza disposed of the Hero? Hadn't he been poisoned?

And now the same enemy Ganondorf had sought to get rid of was fighting his way through the Gerudo's troops. His sword limp in his hand, Ganondorf glared at the Hero.

Then Link's eyes met his.

The ferocious blue eyes Ganondorf hadn't seen for months were their own little torches in the dark. They glowed an unearthly blue, a paranormal shade that caused even Ganondorf to shudder. If given the chance, Ganondorf knew that the Hero would pounce onto his ship and make his way to the Gerudo.

He couldn't take that chance.

"Here is where we pull away," he said to Reiza, "Signal to the other ships that we're retreating and moving straight to the Glass Palace."

Reiza's head snapped to the side in shock. Gaping at Ganondorf, she continued, "Won't the Hyruleans chase us?"

"They won't," assured Ganondorf, "They'll want to regroup and follow us from a distance; they can't afford to lose more troops now."

As Reiza silently walked away, Ganondorf watched the Hero. Link had flung himself into battle once again, and was displaying the sword skills that made him the most reputable swordsman in all of Hyrule. A duel would have to wait another day.

The black ship began to move. A few Hyruleans were the first to sense the sudden shift and bounded back onto the Royal Ship. Behind him, Ganondorf's ships also began to move, following their leader and bidding their last naval farewells to the Hyruleans. Some of Ganondorf's troops would be left on Hyrulean ships to suffer regrettable deaths. But what was Ganondorf to do? The presence of the Hero had always been an ill omen to him.

"They're fleeing! They're fleeing!" hollered one young Hylian.

Link drew his eyes upon Ganondorf once more. As a sign of wartime respect, the Gerudo raised a hand, saluting the Hero in a rare display of chivalry. The Hero did the same, knowing that he would meet Ganondorf again in a proper duel. Around Link, Ganondorf's troops howled as some realized they would be stranded with the Hyruleans, who had no objections to cutting them down. But despite the frantic activity around both men, Link and Ganondorf kept to each other's eyes until the Gerudo was too far to see.

Archers fired their last arrows at the fleeing black ships. On board the other ships, cheers had erupted as Ganondorf retreated. A young Hylian on the Royal Ship tried to make his way to the wheel, but Link pulled him back with a hand upon his shoulder.

"Not today," the Hero said to him, "We'll all die if we follow him like that."

Sadly, the youth nodded and limped away.

As the Red Regiment disposed of the remainder of Ganondorf's army, Link ran to the Royal Cabin. He had not seen Zelda anywhere, and so assumed that someone had finally managed to contain her. Undoing the latch that kept the door in place, Link flung open the wooden door only to interrupt Zelda's prayer. The Princess looked up, and gaped at who she saw. Seeing her, Link smiled at her very lightly, very gently. Slowly, Zelda got to her feet, still frozen at the sight. The Hero and the Princess stood staring at one another for a while, and then Zelda moved, flinging herself into his arms. For the first time in days, she laughed as she held the Hero to her. Hands around her waist, Link only let go of Zelda when she pulled herself away.

"We didn't know you were gone," she confessed to him, "What happened to you?"

"I'll tell you all when this is over," replied Link, "In the meantime, where is Morus? I thought he'd be the first to come to me during the battle."

Zelda's pale face conveyed that something was wrong. Zelda knew Link was seeking answers, and spoke, "I'm sorry. There isn't anything I can do. The Council holds more power than I do since I'm an uncrowned Queen."

Link was taken aback in shock. A great deal had obviously happened during his absence, and now Link wanted to know all.

"Uncrowned Queen?" was the first of his questions.

Tears welled up in Zelda's eyes and she struggled to bring her emotions under her control, "I'm not sure what happened. I was furious, I was enraged. I couldn't forgive Morus but now I'm not so sure that he was the guilty one."

Morus, what have you done?

"Where is he right now?" Link asked Zelda, "I need to see him."

"And he wants to see you," answered Zelda, wiping her eyes with a hand, "By Hyrulean law, you were the last person he wanted to see so he cannot be executed until he has spoken and said all to you."

Executed.

"He's under the barracks, near the storage. We put Lord Hur right beneath him as well," Zelda explained sadly.

The King was dead. Zelda did not have to explain that to Link.

Numb, the Hero walked to the nearest trapdoor. He needed to see his friend.


	31. Discoveries

Hello all! Freefall is back! I'm sorry for the hiatus; I needed to finish writing all my college app essays. For you seniors, you know what I mean. For you juniors, be prepared for next year! My only advice for you is this: Start early!

Anyhow, I am back, and here to finish the story. I've got another one in mind separate to this one, so that's something to look forward to as well. But either way, I'm happy to be here and able to write again! So please enjoy.

xox

freefall

* * *

Link dropped the sword and shield given to him by the angels onto the floor. He didn't need either one anymore, as the battle was drawing to a close. Besides, the metal sat too lightly in his hands, so accustomed was he to the Master Sword. Link waded through the barracks, occasionally feeling a drop of blood hit his head or shoulders, seeping through the cracks above him. The clanging of swords continued, but Link trod on down to the prison chamber upon the ship. His footsteps did not echo as the noise above drowned out the sound of his heels stamping upon wooden ground. At last, the Hero reached the trap door that hid Morus from sight and raised it, stepping down into the prison chamber.

His eyes needed time to adjust to the dimness, but soon Link could make out the rough, jagged shapes that evaded him at first. A lone lamp burned in a corner, and bits of shining red marked shattered pieces of glass that glinted forlornly in front of Link. But everything was quickly ignored when Link saw the outline of Morus's shadow, and gradually approached. As the Hero drew near, Morus slowly turned to Link and flashed him a slight smile.

What remained of Morus's old self was barely visible. In the last few hours, his cheeks had hollowed, and his face had gone pale from mental and physical exhaustion. It didn't matter how young Morus really was, he had aged significantly and now looked at Link with the gaze of an elder. His entire body was limp and was gradually withering away like dry leaves in the fall. Cracks and fissures had formed in his lips, and the freckles had faded. Once Link was close enough, he could see that even the typical twinkle in Morus's eyes had been smothered, and a miserable, foreboding look had replaced it. His own face drawn, Link knelt down in front of his friend, and waited for him to speak.

Morus lost no time. "I found out what that woman did to you," was the first thing Morus uttered.

Everything had been lost, except for Morus's melodious voice.

An eerie silence filled the void as Link decided to sit. Both Morus and Link allowed their eyes to drop down, pouring over Morus's wounds. Bayas had bandaged them nicely, however the former captain still could not move. He lay there, immobile, waiting for Link's reaction. But when the Hero chose not to speak, Morus continued in the most light hearted manner he could force out of himself.

"I knew you would return," Morus honestly told Link, "The Goddesses would never allow you to fade away."

"But they're letting you," returned Link.

Morus nodded gravely before solemnly remarking, "I think it's because I have fulfilled all my duties."

"I don't think murdering the King was one of them," interjected Link.

Hearing that, Morus chuckled, "Neither was allowing that woman onto our ship. She's killed a King, and she's taken the Stones with her."

Link shot upright and looked Morus intensely in the eyes, "She took the Stones?"

"I'm sure she did. She tried to hide the fact that you were gone."

"How did you find out I wasn't here?"

"I stumbled upon your sword and shield; you would never leave those behind."

Link nodded in agreement, then let out a dejected sigh. "Zelda can't do anything for you, the Council has said you're to be executed soon."

Despite the last part of Link's comment, Morus's eyes brightened and, for a moment, they returned to their original starry forms, "So the Princess believes me! Bayas must have told her!"

"But she can't help you because she isn't formally Queen and she can't be coronated until she returns to Hyrule!"

Morus slumped his head forward, "Right. They can't be bothered to change the rules overseas."

Link turned to face the rest of the chamber and noticed for the first time the amount of blood that was upon the floor. He knew who the blood was from, and he was disgusted. Morus noticed his friend's reaction and mumbled two words, "Colonel Bright."

The mention of the Colonel made Link sicker as he faced his friend once again, "They didn't."

"You would be surprised then," said Morus, "But they allowed him. And in case you were wondering, he brought his knives with him."

Link was horrified, "Did they know?"

Morus nodded in response and watched as Link slowly removed the bloody green cap from his head. The captain thought it was time to tell Link everything, now that he had the chance.

"I have a son."

The news was too arbitrary, too sudden. Too much had happened while Link was missing, and for once the Hero found himself yelling "Too much!" at the top of his lungs. Zelda hadn't even finished recounting everything that she had seen, and here was Morus bowling him over with all sorts of words that seemed like blasphemy. This, however, had to be the most ridiculous of them all.

"His name is Roland. Emena gave birth to him months after we were separated," Morus told Link, his voice heavy.

"Roland," repeated Link, stunned, "That's a fine name."

"I thought so as well, she picked it out for him."

"Wait," interrupted Link, "How did Colonel Bright know about all this?"

Morus let his shoulders droop, "You won't believe me."

"You're a dying man, everything you say will be true."

Morus chuckled forcefully. "Emena was the Colonel's wife, Link. Even at the time we met she was already wedded to the Colonel."

"Did you know?" burst Link.

"Yes, I did. And I don't regret any of it because he was never a husband to her."

"Oh, Morus," groaned Link, bringing his hands to his face, "Couldn't you have resisted?"

"Just because you can resist Zelda doesn't mean the rest of us can resist people we fall for," retorted Morus.

Link ignored the remark and prodded Morus for answers, "So the boy is with Emena?"

"No," replied Morus angrily, "That idiot Bright put him in an orphanage so she wouldn't see him grow."

"Madam Helga's?"

"Yes. The largest of the orphanages," continued Morus, growing agitated, "He didn't have the right to send that boy off like that, but he did."

"I think we both know that Bright isn't the most ethical of people," added Link.

"I'm glad he isn't at that house, though," Morus continued, barely remarking Link's comment, "Can you imagine what Bright would have done to the boy? He'd have kept him at home."

In the most sudden turn of events, Morus's face slackened, and the fire in his glare was replaced by longing and sadness. Tears began to flow freely down his cheeks, uncontrolled. Morus made no effort to stem their path. Taking a hollow, clattered breath, Morus addressed Link once again, his voice barely audible.

"I need you to do one thing for me," he said to Link.

The Hero already knew what it was that Morus was asking him for, but out of respect, he did not interrupt the former captain.

"When," began Morus before swallowing and correcting himself, "If you return to Hyrule, I want you to find Roland for me. He should be almost five years of age at that time, and I hope he is still at Madam Helga's. I don't want you to take him back to Emena because of the Colonel. Instead, I want you to take him to my father, sister, and brother. They never wanted me to be in the army, and now look what has happened. Perhaps if you present my son to them, they will forgive me and my passing won't hurt them as much."

"You didn't need to ask, I promise," responded Link.

"And one more thing," Morus carried on, his voice beginning to choke, "It has to do with the locket."

"Go on, you can't ask too much of me."

"The locket is in my satchel, so please make sure the Council doesn't get their hands on it and throw it out. Before you search for Roland, I want you to take the locket back to Emena. And when you do, tell her that I know about Roland, and that I've sent you to search for him. And tell her I love her and that I say good bye. I've never forgotten any of the times we had together, and she should know that."

Morus raised his eyes to the ceiling, trying to stop the tears by blinking once, twice, and then repeatedly. His breaths were coming out in heavy gasps, leaving Link to pity and feel for him at the sight of his distraught friend. But Link was in shock, and found it hard to believe what had just been said. Not only that, but he would have to be the one to bring news of Morus's death. There would be no ceremony for Morus, as disgraced captains were immediately dismissed from public remembrance. They were not worth the Hyruleans' grief.

Once Morus could control himself, he frowned and seemed to ponder for a moment. A certain perplexity had now mixed itself with his melancholy, one that Link didn't understand until Morus spoke.

"Lord Hur has stopped," he muttered, "He hasn't been silent for days."

Link had almost completely forgotten about Lord Hur, but now in his friend's final hours he felt compelled to listen to everything Morus said. "Where is Lord Hur?" he asked Morus.

"One level below me," answered Morus, "It's good to hear his visions have stopped."

Link rose from where he knelt, and looked at Morus who, with a faint motion of the head, urged him to open the trapdoor.

"I, at least, have a bit of light. That poor man hasn't seen any of that for days."

"Heh," Link chuckled before kneeling down, "Not that light's done you any good."

The resistance in the door's hinges informed Link that Lord Hur had, indeed, spent the last few days completely in the darkness. With a loud bang, Link opened the trap door and, glancing at Morus before proceeding, strode down into the room. Whereas Morus had a fading oil lamp, Lord Hur had nothing in his cell and so Link entered the darkest of storage chambers. Using his fingertips, Link felt along the wall, guiding his way to the bottom of the stairs. Slowly and silently, Link snaked down the stairs in such silence that when Lord Hur spoke, the Hero nearly stumbled and fell.

"Who's there?" whimpered Lord Hur.

Forcing his eyes to adjust to the darkness, Link caught sight of Lord Hur. The Lord was facing him, knees hugged to his chest, shaking all the while. For the first time since their meeting, Link pitied Lord Hur and so approached the young noble. Gently, Link lowered himself next to Lord Hur and placed an arm around the noble's shoulders. Feeling Link's touch, Lord Hur breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the Hero.

"You're the first friend I've had in quite a while," confessed Lord Hur, "I saw horrible things."

"Morus tells me you've been screaming for days," Link told the noble.

"I can imagine that," sighed Lord Hur, "Where is that boy now?"

Link took a deep breath, "You won't believe how much you've missed in the last few days, both on my side of the story and his."

Lord Hur straightened, "Why? What happened?"

"The King's dead," Link told Lord Hur outright, "They caught Morus in the King's cabin covered in his blood. The sword was in the King's chest."

Lord Hur brought his hands to his face, "No. Oh, I just...Did Morus really kill the King?"

"He was under a spell, but the Council won't listen to him since Colonel Bright decided to go make a case for the man. You might have seen the woman who cast the spell: White skin, raven hair. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen..."

"Wait!" exclaimed Lord Hur, gripping Link's arm with one hand and using the other to turn the Hero towards him, "She had violet eyes, didn't she?"

Link was taken aback, "Yes! How did you know?"

"She's the one who killed my father!"

"What are you saying?" Link said, unbelieving, "And how do you know that?"

"She's the one I see in my visions, that's why!" Lord Hur explained hurriedly, "And I know her because she was always at our manor. She was with my father, you know? When he bored of my mother?"

Now here was news Link wanted to know.

"Her name was Reiza," the Hero said.

"Yes! That's her name!" cried Lord Hur jumping to his feet, "She was around all the time for the last year of my father's life, right before he died!"

"And you said you saw her in your visions. Why?"

"Link," said Lord Hur turning to the Hero, "I don't know why. But I have seen every murder she's ever committed, right from when she killed her father when she was a child."

Lord Hur began pacing, back and forth, back and forth in the chamber. He was mumbling something to himself, and Link was alarmed.

"Lord Hur!" he snapped, "What are you doing?"

"Quiet, will you?" retorted Lord Hur, "I'm trying to remember what I saw. Alright, so they were there. My father and this Reiza woman, right?"

Link nodded.

"Well, they were there and she had just returned from some trip she made to Termina. So they're sitting on his bed, and they're talking, just talking..."

"What were they talking about?"

"Nothing important," replied Lord Hur, pacing faster and faster, "Alright, so then all of the sudden, he collapses...Boom! Right onto his bed! And...And..."

Lord Hur's hands flew to his head, "Goddesses! What happened?"

"Take your time remembering," said Link, "Your visions are connected to her and I want to know how."

"So he falls onto his bed and he's coughing blood," mutters Lord Hur, "And she just stands there and looks at him. Just...looks at him and she's smiling. And...I don't remember what she says but she places a vial onto his desk...She tells him to, 'put himself out of his misery'...but he dies and she leaves."

"Wait," interrupted Link, "So if Reiza left and your father died before he drank the vial the physicians discovered...Who drank it?"

At that, Lord Hur froze before uneasily approaching Link. Looking around, the noble then lowered his head and whispered, "I did."

"And it didn't kill you? Why?" exclaimed Link.

"Link, you don't understand," continued Lord Hur, "Alright, maybe you will so I'll try explaining. When I came in with one of our chambermaids...yes one of our chambermaids, and discovered him dead. I mean...When your father who is a Lord dies, it means you're bound to inherit his position."

"I don't see where this is going."

"Link, you and I both know that I'm not meant to be a politician," Lord Hur continued, "And it's just...To inherit the position my father had, and my father was one of Hyrule's most successful politicians...I was expected to live up to that. But I can't, you see? And, oh I don't know, the pressure and all the expectations that had been placed upon me since I was a little boy it all just...Hit, I guess."

"So you wanted to kill yourself rather than live up to expectations?"

Lord Hur nodded slowly, "Yes, I did. I'm not as clueless as you think I am, Link. You know my lifestyle, everyone does! I would've ruined the family...So might as well not ruin it at all."

"But you didn't die from the arsenic traces they detected in the vial, why is that? I heard the amount was enough to kill a man."

Lord Hur glanced around again, and whispered even more softly, "You can't tell this to anyone, do you hear me?"

"Tell what?"

"This is the only thing people never knew about me," uttered Lord Hur fervently, "I paid people to keep quiet and that's why no one knew."

"Tell me already!"

"Alright!" stammered Lord Hur before lowering his voice again, "You know that arsenic is dangerous and the amount in the vial was enough to kill someone. That is, if the someone has never consumed it and built their tolerance to it."

Link was stunned, "Do you mean to tell me that you...?"

Shamefully, Lord Hur nodded, "Little doses over time. There was a man in South Hyrule Castle Town who sold it to me and was consistently doing so. I began at the age of sixteen, just little doses."

"You could've died," mumbled Link.

"I know, alright? I know! But that's why I didn't die, that's why the arsenic never killed me the way I wanted it to! All I got was the hallucinogenic properties. But you can't tell anyone, you hear?"

Link agreed, and Lord Hur breathed a sigh of relief before muttering to himself once again, "I can't believe she killed the King, too."

"How do you think you're linked with her, then?" inquired Link.

Lord Hur shrugged, "Maybe the Goddesses are behind it. I don't know. Either way, after my father's death I was never left alone after that. When I wasn't at the pubs or with girls, I was in the manor, being guarded. If I had tried to kill myself then, I wouldn't have succeeded anyhow."

"Lord Hur," began Link, changing the subject, "We need to tell the Council."

"What? You promised not to!"

"No! Not about your little addiction to arsenic! About what you saw. Lord Hur, we can acquit Morus because clearly, she spelled your father as well! You can tell them and we can show them what Reiza's capable of and they'll understand!"

"Do you really think they'll listen to a madman?" asked Lord Hur, forlornly, "After all this? If I do, they'll find out about the arsenic."

"But you could save someone's life, and it's not as though they'll kill you as well."

Lord Hur sighed, "You can put it that way. I guess that would serve a higher purpose, wouldn't it?"

"Then we need to talk to the Council," said Link excitedly. They may just save Morus.

Shrugging his shoulders, Lord Hur complied.


	32. He Won't Be Gone

"We will behead him tomorrow," declared Colonel Bright to the Council, "His guilt is unquestionable."

"Colonel Bright," protested Zelda, "I must say that as the Princess of Hyrule..."

"Princess, not Queen," corrected the Colonel, "And therefore you cannot overrule the Council."

The men nodded in agreement, silently mocking Zelda for even trying to do something so useless. Morus was guilty, and he would be hanged regardless of what the Princess had to say. Defeated, Zelda hung her head in a bid to somehow hide from the Council. Beside her, Ruto looked down as well before whispering, "There's nothing you can do at this point."

"Now," continued Colonel Bright who gained significant confidence from dismissing the Princess, "About the execution itself. I believe it should be conducted here on the Royal Ship, seeing as this was the very place the King died and Morus' past Regiment is one of the regiments on board."

"Who shall do the act itself?" questioned another noble.

"Well, seeing as the Hero has suddenly returned..."

"No," Zelda blurted, "That is entirely inappropriate."

"Then perhaps you'd like to do the honors yourself? After all, your father was the one slain so if you would like to take the sword and sever his head that is fine as well."

"I couldn't," replied Zelda, nervously crossing her arms, "I don't think he is guilty."

Booming laughter echoed among the Council, with Colonel Bright being the loudest. They couldn't believe what they had heard! The Colonel approached Zelda and lay a hand on her shoulder. He ignored the fact that Zelda shrunk from him and pressed on.

"Your Highness, I understand that you are still in shock from all the events that have just happened. But I assure you, we have the man who murdered your father and we want to do everything in our power to avenge his death."

"I understand that, but I believe Captain Morus isn't guilty."

"First of all," continued the Colonel, "We don't refer to him as Captain anymore. Second of all, why do you think that? He was discovered in your father's chamber with his bloodied self and sword."

"I think Reiza had something to do with it."

"You think and you know are different things entirely. We know Morus killed your father."

"Captain Morus."

"Just Morus. Can't you appreciate our efforts?"

Before Zelda could speak, a loud bang was heard at the door, followed by a rattling of the door handle as whoever was on the other side was trying to get in. Uncertain, a nearby guard inserted a key into the keyhole, only to have the door slammed into his nose as Link flung it open, with Lord Hur following.

"Morus isn't guilty!" cried Link, "Lord Hur and I can attest to that!"

Much to the Colonel's displeasure, the Council straightened up, interested in what the Hero and Lord Hur had to say. Losing no time, the Hero pressed on.

"It was Reiza," Link declared, "It was all her fault. She was the one who poisoned me and threw me off the island of Fortune."

"Boy, what are you talking about?" grumbled the Colonel, "Please refrain from twisting the evidence and wasting our time."

"I'm not twisting any evidence!" exploded Link, slamming both fists down upon the table, "That woman who was on board, she's with Ganondorf now. And before she left she not only killed the King of Hyrule, but she also took the Stones!"

A heavy and uneasy silence hung upon the entire cabin. Staring intently at the Colonel, Link's eyes blazed, causing the Colonel to pull back, anxiously readjusting his sword.

"So, you mean to say that the Stones are no longer with us?" mumbled the Colonel.

"Is there another meaning to what I just said?"

"I don't believe it," finished the Colonel before pointing to a nearby guard, "You! Enter the King's cabin and bring the Stones here."

"Yes, sir!" answered the guard before taking off.

Again, the Colonel addressed Link, "Well, we'll assume she took the Stones, then. I'll play your game. But I'm going to hazard a guess and say that you aren't here about Reiza and the Stones."

"I can link Reiza to Morus," declared Link, "He isn't guilty."

A murmur erupted throughout the cabin, and from her place on the wall Zelda smiled as Link continued, "She's a sorceress."

"Is she now?" challenged Colonel Bright.

"She cast a spell on him! He didn't know what he was doing!"

"Now that," began Zelda, rising to her feet, "Was what I was about to propose before you so rudely cut me off, Colonel."

"And how do you know?" cried Colonel Bright, "Tell me, then! You say you have evidence."

"Lord Hur does," replied Link, motioning for Lord Hur to approach, "He can prove she knows dark magic."

All eyes were now on the timid Lord Hur as he uncertainly arrived at Link's side. This was the first time in days the Council had seen Lord Hur, making his appearance even more shocking than usual. Under the Colonel's frightening gaze, Lord Hur composed himself and, with one last look at Link, proceeded to tell his story to the Council.

"Dear Council," began Lord Hur, taking care to be very formal, "During the last few days I underwent some...difficulties, of which you are all aware. In fact, I think most, if not all of you, must think that I am insane."

A chuckle from the entire cabin proved Lord Hur's last statement true. Swallowing, Lord Hur continued.

"But after so many days of experiencing these...visions, I am now aware that these visions aren't mere hallucinations. Rather, they mirror reality."

A disrespectful laugh erupted, forcing Lord Hur to regain composure before speaking again.

"Dear Council, I have seen every single murder this woman has committed, that of my father included."

Time seemed to stop. Every noble in the Council looked at one another, taken aback by what they had just heard, even Colonel Bright. But Lord Hur paid almost no attention and proceeded.

"I can see you are all wondering what sort of relation my father, the late Lord Hur, had to this woman who was let on board. If I had been...conscious at the time of her boarding, I would have been able to recognize her because she was the woman with whom my father was having an affair."

"The late Lord Hur?" piped up a nearby nobleman, "I don't believe it."

"She lived with my father at the manor, except she hid in a chamber my father built, hidden away from sight."

"And you didn't stop him when you knew?" inquired another nobleman.

At that, Lord Hur blushed and looked toward the ceiling, "As much as I hate to admit this about myself, I don't believe that I, given my...exploits, would have been the best to call him out."

"Tell them what you saw," ordered Link.

"Yes," said Lord Hur, "You see, this woman does know magic because she used it to murder my father."

"How?" muttered the Colonel.

"I saw the two of them seated together on my father's bed," said Lord Hur, lowering his voice, his eyes darting about the room, "Just like I used to see them together. They were talking like they always did whenever I listened to them at the door of my father's bedchamber. It was never anything very important, so when I saw this for the first time...I was perplexed. After seeing her murder one man after another I didn't understand why I was seeing this."

Everyone in the cabin now leaned forwards, straining to hear what the young Lord Hur had to say.

"And then it happened. They told me it was lung failure, or some sort of sickness that he might have harbored for years without telling anyone. But if it was lung failure she wouldn't have been smiling the way she smiled at his as he collapsed, choking on his own blood."

"Nonsense!" boomed the Colonel, "Your father didn't die of any illness or lung failure! It was the arsenic, the arsenic killed him!"

"No, the arsenic didn't kill him!" retorted Lord Hur, angry at the Colonel's defiance, "She gave it to him! She took it out and said it would 'put him out of his misery'! What misery? I don't know but that woman did something to my father and I want to know what it is!"

"Then, you explain to me why the bottle of arsenic was empty!"

Without a pause, Lord Hur cried, "Because I drank it!"

The entire Council got to its feet, and Zelda flashed her eyes from Lord Hur to Link as the Colonel shouted, "If you did, then how come you aren't dead?"

"Please don't hesitate," thought Link.

"Alright," Lord Hur continued, catching his breath, "No one else knew, but in case you aren't familiar with poisons you can build resistance to them."

"He could have died," mumbled Ruto, who understood.

And so did the Colonel who reflected on what had just been said, pacing the room as everyone stood in silence. Link stared intently at Bright, waiting for his answer, praying that Bright would believe him.

But Bright's laugh told him otherwise. The Colonel walked around the table that separated him from Link and positioned himself in front of the Hero.

"You expected the Council to be convinced?" Bright proceeded in a mocking tone, "First, you weren't even here to see what happened, so how would you know if your friend was cursed or not? You flew in here in the arms of an angel while we were all here when the murder occurred and when Morus was carried out, bloodied! And now you come and say that Morus never killed anyone? Oh, no and to make everything so much better, you bring in Lord Hur to testify because of some "visions" he had. Did you really think that we would believe an insane man? To make matters worse, now the madman's revealed that he's addicted to arsenic. For all I know, those "visions" of his could have just been hallucinations!"

The majority of the Council nodded and muttered in agreement, prompting Zelda to come forward.

"Colonel Bright!" interjected Zelda, "I don't believe we've heard everything yet..."

"I believe we have heard enough, Princess. Perhaps you want to stay back and observe the proceedings. The Council has already made its verdict, and you, as an uncrowned Queen, cannot overturn the Council."

"Then we'll crown her!" cried Link.

"For a man who is known as a Hero of Hyrule, I'm wondering why you aren't even familiar with our laws. No monarch can be crowned outside of Hyrulean borders, and considering the Princess's status I believe she would do best to abide by those same laws and traditions."

"We're in the middle of a war, Colonel!"

"And those on the Council have fought countless battles," snapped Colonel Bright.

"Since when do the laws actually matter when we're not even within country borders?"

"Because, dear Hero, as citizens we're bound by our country's laws, no matter where we may be."

"Link, let's just go!" proposed Lord Hur, grabbing Link's arm, "The Council has made their decision."

"The madman has sense in him, after all!" observed the Colonel, "At least we know that you have some redeeming qualities to you. Personally, I feel quite sorry for the Princess since she has to wed you."

With a warning tone, the Colonel then turned to the Hero once more, "As for the verdict: it stands. Morus is guilty and will be beheaded tomorrow at noon. I cannot believe you even attempted to change that."

Link turned and stomped towards the door, with Lord Hur in tow. However, his path to the door was blocked by the previous guard who had been sent to seek out the Stones in the King's cabin. The guard was breathless and his face was pale, betraying the worst news.

"The Stones aren't there!" he announced, "I've searched everywhere and they're nowhere to be found!"

"Didn't I say that?" Link said, taking one final shot at the Colonel before heading out the door.

As the entire Council erupted in panic, Link and Lord Hur strode away from the noise and made for the trap door leading to the barracks. Along the way they passed Marius and a few of his angels who hung their heads as they had heard the heated exchange. The King of Angels rose to speak, but Link passed him without the merest acknowledgment of the angel's presence. Instead of pursuing Link, Marius retreated and watched as the Hero disappeared beneath the trap door, no doubt to visit his good friend. With a sad look, he turned to the other angels, motioning for them to scout the area ahead. Ganondorf could not be far off, but the Hyruleans' ships were somewhat damaged and the distance between them and Ganondorf would grow. By how much? Well, Marius wanted to know for himself.

At the same time Marius was doing so, Lord Hur was trailing Link, trying to console the Hero and show him that in reality, there was nothing they could do from the start. But the more Lord Hur spoke, the more Link drowned out the sound of his voice until finally, Link turned and told him to "get some rest" before leaving Lord Hur. The nobleman thought about being persistent in his attempt to comfort Link, but decided that leaving the Hero alone was better. So Link was left to visit Morus for one last time, all by himself.

The moment Morus smiled at Link, the Hero could see that the color had rushed back to the captain's cheeks and that the pain had numbed. But Morus was still in the same dim chamber, facing the same horrible sentence. Defeated, Link sat down at Morus's side, not sure where to begin.

Fortunately, the Hero didn't need to worry for Morus was the first to speak, "I didn't think you could overturn the verdict the Council decided upon."

"I'm sorry," muttered Link.

"No, don't be," urged Morus, "It's not your fault."

"Why are you so calm?" inquired Link, slightly alarmed at Morus's calm demeanor.

Morus winced as he shrugged, but still managed to move his shoulders, "I've come to accept it."

"You're not going to fight?"

"No," replied Morus, "A day like this comes for everyone, it's only that I need to face it earlier."

"But you could live for so much more."

"I'm not sure," answered Morus, "I believe the moment I gave my family the hourglass I talked about as a gift, I had the feeling that this would happen. Perhaps not in this way, but there was always the chance that I could just die. Don't be afraid of death, Link, think of it as a release."

"A release from what?"

"Everything. We go through life with all of these burdens, and you would think we'd grow accustomed to them. But for some reason, only a few of us can adapt to those burdens, and to those people I say that their fight against death is justified. But for the rest of us who still can't shoulder those burdens? If we can't manage them, why are we afraid of death when death can alleviate them?"

"Perhaps they believe that given more time, they can learn to shoulder those responsibilities you talk about."

"Perhaps," agreed Morus, slowing raising a hand, "But if that was the belief and they know that death will eventually come for them, why don't they make an effort to learn?"

"This isn't the sort of conversation I came here for," interrupted Link.

"Then what sort of conversation did you come here for?"

"I came to say good bye," answered Link, "I came here to tell you that you've been one of the greatest friends I could ever have asked for."

This time, Morus grinned before continuing, "Well, you've already heard what I want you to do if you return to Hyrule. I guess the only thing I have left to say is the same to you."

Link nodded, but Morus continued, "Wait! There is one more thing that I believe you need to know."

"And what would that be?"

"That even if Hyrule falls, you will still be standing."

Link laughed, "And what makes you so sure of that?"

"I just know," replied Morus, giving Link the same boyish look that everyone had so admired about him, "I also know that I wish I could have met you years before."

"I know. Three years, that's not a lot of time to know someone, is it?"

"I don't think I would completely believe that. There is always the chance that even one year can make all the difference."

"Can it?"

"Sometimes even one day can."

Picking at his gauntlets, Link kept Morus company. An hour, or maybe even two, passed and the two men still sat in silence. Their last real conversation had been short, but meaningful to the both of them. It was during this time that the two men would bid farewell to one another so personally one last time.

And it began with Morus, "I better sleep, and you should as well."

Silently, Link embraced the past captain, who managed to raise his arm and fling it across Link's shoulders. When they pulled away, both muttered a "good bye" to one another, and Morus closed his eyes.

Slowly, Link moved away, walking towards the stair. When the Hero looked back one more time, Morus seemed to be asleep, his lips paralyzed in a smile. The temptation to fling himself upon his friend was difficult to fight, but Link knew that the two had already said goodbye and that he would only initiate another round of farewells that, perhaps, would never end. And so, Link sighed and turned his head away, making his way to the barracks and away from Morus.

It wasn't until Link gently lowered the trap door did the tears strike. The Hero didn't sob, nor did he weep. Instead, he let those same tears stay in his eyes as he tiptoed through the barracks, careful not to wake anyone. Through the barracks he tiptoed until the moon and the stars above met him as Link emerged on deck. Very much alone, the Hero walked to the edge of the deck and leaned over, examining the water beneath him. The sea was tranquil again, probably because even the ocean knew that the next day someone so valuable was to die. But the tranquility wasn't tinged with grief. Rather, Link could sense that even the sea knew that something remarkable was to happen, perhaps not now but in the near future. There was going to be someone greeting Morus when the captain made his way to the heavens above, joining the Goddesses to become part of the night sky that now hung above Link. And because of that, Link could smile.

In fact, the Hero kept smiling even when the Princess's elegant hands touched his own calloused ones. Zelda understood the bittersweet feeling and allowed Link to clasp her fingers in his hands. They stood like so for a few minutes, before Link finally spoke.

"He's fine," he told Zelda.

"Is he?"

"Hasn't even wept."

"I didn't expect him to."

Another silence before Link began again, this time on a more serious matter.

"Zelda," he said, "You know a great deal about magic, and I'm wondering if you can explain something. How was Lord Hur able to have those visions of Reiza? It must mean that the two are linked somehow, and I have a feeling the vial of arsenic has something to do with this. But I'm not sure, and I don't know much about magic."

"I've been wondering the same thing," replied Zelda, "Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with dark magic."

"Could you find out somehow?"

"Certainly," answered the Princess, "Don't you worry about that, though. You need sleep. From the looks of it, you haven't had a good rest in days."

"You, too," remarked Link, "But I wouldn't worry too much about it because you are far from looking like a hag."

Hearing that, Zelda delivered a light jab to Link's cheek, causing both of them to chuckle before the Princess pulled away.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then," she said, "Please, get some rest."

"I will," said the Hero, "I just want to stay out here for a bit more."

With a final nod, Zelda made her way back towards her cabin and thought of her father. Did he know that Morus was innocent? Would he forgive the man? It was much too late to answer those questions now, but Zelda did wonder.

And Link wondered as well. How different would the army be without Morus? How would they take the execution tomorrow? But one thing was for certain: they wouldn't forget Morus anytime soon.


	33. The Execution

Hey guys! We're entering the last leg of the story (and series). Thanks for reading! And prepare for some serious action in a few weeks!

xox

freefall

* * *

"Cheers to you, Colonel Bright! The King couldn't have asked for a better man to look after business."

"Thank you, Lord Nieve, though I must say that you are just as qualified to do the same."

Of course, Colonel Bright didn't truly mean what he said. In the meantime, he was envisioning a meteoric rise in his career. He may have been one of the most respected nobles in Hyrule, and he may have been a (relatively) successful colonel, but why not continue to climb the ladder? He had won battles, caught the murderer of a King, but most of all he had punished that same murderer. What would follow? Perhaps a promotion to General? Then later on advisor to Princess Zelda when she is crowned? Colonel Bright obviously held no objections to either one, and relished the day his dreams would come true.

And all was going to happen because of a timely murder.

Sipping from his goblet, the Colonel almost laughed at the realization that all along, the boy had been the sole obstacle keeping him from glory. It was no secret that among the Hylians, Colonel Bright was the strongest, the most astute, and the most likely to become one of the most prestigious men in Hyrule. So why didn't his rise begin before? The boy. Everywhere he walked people would talk about "the boy" and how the Colonel was "much too cruel" and "much too disrespectful" of him. Thinking about it made Colonel Bright tighten his hand so much that he felt the goblet could just crumble in his hand.

But about the boy. The Colonel took this moment in the midday sun to recall the immense hatred he had felt for Morus the day the latter appeared. "He's yours, Bright," they had said, "We expect him to be a great captain someday." That wasn't where the hatred began, though. It wasn't until Colonel Bright had the boy presented to him did he feel disgust. Disgust and envy, to be exact. The Colonel saw in the boy everything he had ever wanted to be, and it frightened Colonel Bright that he could even see into the boy's future. The boy's bright smile, his freckles, but most of all the life in him was all supposed to belong to the Colonel. He watched every move the boy made. He noticed how hard the boy trained, how stoic the boy was, and how dedicated the boy was to make himself better. The way he swung a sword sickened the Colonel because the boy clearly had some sort of talent with the blade. In fact, the only time Colonel Bright was ever happy with the boy was during archery practice, because the boy's sloppiness with the bow and arrow undermined him in some way. Every day the Colonel could expect a little bit of happiness, that is until it was decided that Morus would not wield a bow, and the majority of his training would be with the sword.

What ate away at Colonel Bright, however, was the fact that the boy was loved and it only worsened year after year. Everyone adored the boy except Bright. The Colonel would watch as the kitchen ladies scolded him, only to let him get away. He would leer as the boy went around Town to complete errands for his superiors, greeted with the smiles and laughter of the Townsmen. But it was the King's reaction to the boy that threw Colonel Bright into sorts. The way the boy would accidentally bump into His Majesty, the way His Majesty would pat the boy on his head to congratulate him on his good work...The Colonel would stand by, horrified, while all this happened.

Well, that was all past now, and the Colonel knew that as he watched Morus being dragged onto the deck. As Morus was thrown onto the ground, the Colonel fought to keep a smile at bay while Link stood directly behind him. The Hero was facing ahead, observing every action Morus made as he struggled to sit up on his knees. In a few moments the charges would be read out, and the sword would slice through Morus's neck.

Link felt something slide across his palm and looked down to find Zelda's hand in his. Turning his head, the Hero caught sight of Zelda who squeezed his hand and nodded solemnly to him. Touched, Link wrapped his fingers around her hand as well, to which the Princess smiled for a moment before facing the execution.

Another one of the captains was the selected executioner, and the robust young man now unfurled a script he had been instructed to read as Morus knelt upon the ground. The captain took one shaky look at Morus before his eyes flitted to the script.

"Your Royal Highness, Princess Zelda, I and other men of equal if not superior rank stand before you today to deliver punishment in the name of justice, and of reason," he read, "After much deliberation and debate, we, representatives of Hyrule have deemed this man guilty of treason, murder, and of adultery. The man is hereby known to us as Morus, former Captain of the Red Regiment who has since been stripped of his title, as he has stripped Hyrule of her honor."

Link met Morus's eyes as his friend lifted his chin. His calm demeanor notified Link that his friend had, indeed, come to terms with his sentence and with the end of his life, just as he had the night before. There was no panic, there was no anxiety, just tranquility. Morus's face had thinned and his body had grown weak, but he had transformed and was now a different, eerie sort of handsome. That, of course, didn't sit well with Colonel Bright who had wanted to decimate the young man. The Colonel stared straight ahead, not wanting to even look at Morus as the latter's recent metamorphosis reminded him of what he saw as Morus grew from a boy to a man. He remembered the day the girls began to pay attention as Morus ran down the streets, and how everyone loved him all the more. That was the man the Colonel could have become, he had thought. Intelligent, ambitious, stoic, handsome...The Colonel did, and still wanted it all.

"This man has destroyed a symbol of Hyrule and of all her glory. As a result, he has been sentenced to death by the sword, and a grave without a name."

Which made it all the more disturbing once the Colonel lowered his gaze, only to find Morus staring at him. Immediately, the scene changed. One by one, the people around him faded into mist and the deck of the ship bent and jerked until a chamber in the army barracks appeared. The room was barren and neat, with a candle sitting upon a small table to provide a bit of light. A lone bed was situated at the very back of the chamber, its sheets tousled and flung about, twisted in the dimness. This was a captain's room, the Colonel recognized as two figures began to materialize in front of him. What began as a mere shadow transformed into the arm of a man wrapped around the slim waist of a woman. With his other hand, the man was fiddling with something which soon appeared as the sleeve of a dress, his fingers lifting the fabric to cover the woman's shoulders. As for the woman, it was clear that her hair had been removed from a style of some kind and now draped her back as her arms were around the man. She had just finished dressing herself, and now smiled as she spoke softly to the man.

Colonel Bright knew that at this point, he was standing outside the door because he remembered this moment. But looking at the captain now, the Colonel was alarmed because never before had he seen the boy so happy. The way the captain's eyes glowed and his freckles broke into a smile was sickening to watch, and he could hear every word that was being said.

"You promise you won't tell anyone?" the man was mumbling, planting a kiss upon the woman's head.

"No, I don't want to get you into trouble," the woman replied.

Colonel Bright remembered everything. Moments before he had just been informed by another colonel that he had seen Enema on the grounds, and in that one instance the rumors were confirmed. Humiliation, rage...The Colonel felt it all as he stood there, watching Morus caress his wife.

Not that that mattered now.

"You have been proven a guilty man, and will therefore face the consequences of such a fact."

So focused was the Colonel on Morus that he did not notice the Hero behind him who pursed his lips. Morus had turned his eyes to Link again, as though he wanted to comfort the Hero who was now beginning to feel fear and anxiety gnaw at him. Link couldn't feel Zelda's warm hand anymore, instead all he could sense was death all around him. Morus's blood would be only that, just another bloodstain on the deck.

"Is there anything you would like to say before I carry out your sentence?"

"Just a goodbye is fine," replied Morus, still staring at Link.

"To whom?"

"Everyone," was all Morus said.

Taking a deep breath, the captain drew his sword, the sound of which froze every witness and frightened them. Zelda's hand tightened around Link's, although the Hero wasn't paying so much attention to her. In his final moments, Morus bid Link his own farewell, his eyes smiling on their own as if to comfort the Hero, who could see the captain's blade lift into the air. Everyone was leaning forward now, the kill so near that they could almost see the blood pool onto the deck even before it was to happen. The wind howled, but the sky showed no indication of a storm, only sunshine.

The captain swung his sword.

A split second before it reached Morus's neck, the captain locked gazes with Colonel Bright so threateningly the Colonel felt his heart leap. He could see the room again, but this time the Colonel knew he was seconds away from bursting in. The boy had kissed Emena for a last time when the door swung open and, furious, he had stomped in.

In all his years of training, the boy had never been so quiet. Emena had lowered her hands and now gripped the boy's shoulders, completely silent as they stood, watching her husband. Colonel Bright breathed in and out, his breath echoing in the room as no one said anything at all. Then, he began to move. The boy pulled Emena out of the way as the Colonel flew past them and toward the bed. He fumbled with the sheets and examined them until he was absolutely certain of what had happened. He could smell Emena's perfume mixed with the captain's own scent that he had come to despise, leading him to tear up the sheets in front of the two. The captain had both arms wrapped around Emena now.

"It was because of me that you were appointed captain!" the Colonel shrieked, "And you go and turn around and do this to me?"

There was no response.

"You knew how much I hated you, yet I still poured all my resources and willpower into training you because everyone thought you would be one of the best captains they had ever seen!"

The Colonel began moving towards the pair, and Morus took a step back.

"I can't believe I thought you wouldn't ever touch her," he hissed, "You had girls falling at your feet every day but you chose the one who you were never supposed to have?"

Emena's eyes grew wide and she burrowed further into Morus.

"Emena," Colonel Bright said, "Come with me."

All the girl did was stand there.

"Come with me!" bellowed the Colonel.

But she still wouldn't move.

"Alright then," the Colonel had said, moving towards her, "I'll make sure you do."

"I can explain," she whispered.

The Colonel wouldn't listen, he moved towards Enema and gripped the girl's wrist. To his surprise, the boy let her go as though she were a bird, meant to be free. The captain knew what he did wrong, and he knew to not make things worse for everyone. Nor did the woman make a sound, either. Wide-eyed and frightened, she looked back at the captain as the Colonel dragged her into a carriage, and back to their home.

Perhaps the boy was right. Perhaps he was a sick man.

As he watched Morus's head fall to the deck, Colonel Bright remembered what else had happened that night. The maids had watched as the Colonel thrust Emena into their bedchamber and lock the door behind him. There was shouting and sobbing, as well as the breaking of glass until the Colonel had pulled his wife towards him. She had resisted, and the Colonel had slammed her against a desk.

"You will enjoy this with me as much as you do with him," Bright had barked into Emena's ear before pinning her down.

An hour later and she was sitting in the bed, holding tightly onto the remains of her gown. She wasn't sobbing, nor were tears dripping down her cheeks. She just sat there, stunned and unmoved while Colonel Bright stormed out of the room. The maids knew exactly what happened, but they dared not say anything for fear that the Colonel would do the same to them. So the maids watched as the Colonel stomped down the stairs, and only then did they enter the bedchamber. One by one, they had shuffled in and an older maid draped her arm around Emena's bare back while three others searched for a nightgown. Torn fabric lay everywhere, and the room was a mess that needed to be cleaned.

"Get dressed, dear," the older maid had cooed, "You're safe now."

From then on, Emena was banned from exiting the house, and so Lady Bright was never seen in any of the balls of Hyrule. As for the boy? He never saw her again except for a few fleeting glances when he walked past the manor.

Well, those years were over now. Colonel Bright breathed a sigh of relief as a group of soldiers went to collect the corpse and the head. He could hear the Hero swallow behind him and the Princess's gentle footfalls as she tried to usher Link away. Taking one final sip, the Colonel handed his goblet to a waiting soldier and turned to walk away. They would haul the boy's body over the ship and into the water, drowning him forever. But Colonel Bright did not want to remain for that as the former captain's corpse frightened him. Perhaps Morus did know what the Colonel did to Emena the night after Bright had discovered them together. Surely he had heard the rumors; maids were not to be trusted.

"I hope you're happy now," Link whispered as he passed the Colonel, "He's gone for good."

"That's what awaits traitors," hissed Colonel Bright, "Every trace of them must be destroyed."

The Hero had already stomped away and was making his way down to the barracks. From afar, Princess Zelda watched, and then disappeared into her own cabin.

Every one of Morus's possessions remained in his sack. No one had touched anything at all, and Link was relieved to see that. The clumsily folded clothes and a knife missing a hilt stone were just as Morus had left them before his execution. Most of all, the locket remained. For the first time, Link turned and caressed the golden pendant, trying to see and feel the love that the locket had represented. But the love between every two people is unique, and that included the love Morus had felt for Emena while he still lived. Therefore, the locket remained a locket to Link, tinged only by friendship and the promise the Hero had made to Morus.

Other soldiers began to stream in, chattering sadly about the execution. From his place on the floor, Link could hear snippets of their conversations as he rifled through the contents of Morus's satchel.

"What'll we do without him now?"

"Well, go on, I suppose. It's what you're meant to do when people die."

"You know, I never believed for a moment that he really killed the King. Looking at him, I just couldn't imagine it."

"Then again, we never really knew what went on through his mind. Remember how he was so vivacious one moment but so removed the next? Perhaps he went funny in the head."

"I suppose so. Still, I'll miss him."

Link rose from the floor and verified the satchel once more to make sure nothing was missing. But he stopped when a few particular words caught his ear.

"You heard why the Colonel was angry with him before, though?"

Link had always wanted to know more about Emena, and now was the time. Pretending to not pay attention, Link listened to every word about the woman whose child he had to find.

"Seduced his wife, you know?"

"Ah, no!"

"They met one day at the market and that was it for them."

"Love at first sight?"

"Nah, they'd seen one another times and times before, but never talked."

"So how'd Bright find out?"

"Caught them in his room when Morus was promoted to captain. Bad night for the missus."

"Why? What happened?"

"The chambermaids found her naked except for a torn gown she was using to cover up her front. There was screaming and crying before then, apparently, and then hollering for an hour."

"You've got to be lying to me."

Link felt sick hearing all of that. So that's how the Colonel treated his wife.

"Nuh-uh. The chambermaids always tell the truth and I'm telling the truth to you."

That was all Link needed to know, and that was all he needed to truly be determined to return the locket and find Roland upon his return. The Hero strode out into the open, catching the soldiers by surprise. When they saw what Link held in his hands, they bowed their heads and allowed Link to pass. One by one they lowered themselves to show respect for the Hero, as he knew how close he had been to Morus. However touched he was, Link kept his head held high and continued on his way.

When he arrived at the stairs, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"What do you say we all pray for the captain tonight?" a soldier asked his comrades, "Best captain I could ever have asked for."

So he was still loved. In one bittersweet moment, Link allowed the soldier's words to linger before shutting the trapdoor and leaving the soldiers behind.


	34. Fairy Tale or Fact?

"Brandishing his sword, Ganondorf leaped into the air and struck the Hero with all his might! But the miserable Hylian still did not give way, and Ganondorf was forced to bounce backwards, ever determined to finish off the Hero of Hyrule!" boomed a Stalfo shoulder, dancing around on deck to emphasize his story.

Around him, other soldiers cheered and clapped, watching the one-man spectacle with glee. They guffawed at the Stalfo's imitation of the Hero, and commended the bony Ganondorf whenever he appeared. Seven days with no excitement had forced a round of storytelling, and as twilight fell the Stalfos and Iron Knuckles of Ganondorf's main regiment knew the end of was nigh. They were hearing the last chapter of an exhilarating tale full of power, vengeance, and evil in a world they sought to live in.

And the Stalfo knew this, dancing upon the deck as he created entire images from strips of his imagination. Suddenly, the dancing stopped and he was, once again, solemn. Head bowed, back straight, the Stalfo's friends sensed the change in the mood, and leaned forward in intrigue.

"But the Hero wouldn't live for very long. Whoever defies the wrath of Ganondorf find themselves defeated, no matter how long it takes," continued the Stalfo, almost whispering, drawing the crowd in closer.

Suddenly, a sword came into view, throwing the crowd backwards as the Stalfo gloriously unsheathed his blade.

"For in one final blow, Ganondorf brought Death to the Hero!" He declared almost breathlessly as he stabbed his sword forward, "For his own trusted blade ran through the puny Hylian, shredding the latter's heart to pieces! The Lord showed no mercy, nor did he show restraint. Pinning the Hero of Hyrule to the ground, Ganondorf drove his sword even deeper into the Hylian until both Hylian and sword were wedged into the dirt, never to be removed again!"

The crowd cheered at such a graphic ending, prompting the Stalfo to finish his tale.

"And so, the Hero and Ganondorf's sword remained as symbols of Hyrule, and the world's, defeat. For centuries, the King lived and governed with his Queen over all people of every race, bringing terror, but in the most orderly kind, to the world. Thank you."

"I must say that is indeed a great story!" declared a deep voice that was unmistakably Ganondorf's, "And we are quite close to achieving that as well."

Seeing the crowd part before Ganondorf, the Stalfo bashfully bowed his head as he addressed the Gerudo, "Only for you, my Lord."

Ganondorf laughed heartily before proceeding, "Well, we'll see what happens while we try to get through the mountains of Trius."

"We're roping around the coast?" exclaimed an Iron Knuckle.

"No! We are not! You see, the shortest route to the Glass Palace lies that way, and we have at least a day's start on the Hyruleans. Poor things, we damaged them quite a bit, didn't we?"

"Only you could accomplish that, my Lord!" hollered another Stalfo as the crowd erupted into cheers.

Bringing his hand to the air, Ganondorf faked modesty, "Please, now. Please! It was not my victory, but it was certainly our victory!"

More cheers echoed around the deck, and soon other ships joined in as well. Head held high, Ganondorf opened his mouth to speak when he was cut off by a report from the crow's nest.

"Trius!" screeched the Stalfo, "A few miles ahead of us! We're there! We're there!"

Delighted, the entire deck erupted into festivities. This time, every evil soldier was dancing, pounding the wood with their ugly feet. From another ship, Ganondorf could hear the beating of war drums as they neared Trius. He couldn't see the last island yet, but the Gerudo could feel it drawing near. Ganondorf proudly strode to the center of the ship and with one deafening roar, he awakened the evil forces of Hyrule who continued to dance.

So loud was their celebration that Midna, in the very depths of the main ship, could hear everything. Sadly, she sighed and hung her head; where were Link and Zelda now? In the dark, the Twilight Princess prayed for her friends' wellbeing, and for them to stop Ganondorf, no matter what the cost.

* * *

"Stuck at the same point again!" shouted Colonel Bright, striking the open, fragile book with his fist, "It's always you who stops anything from happening!"

Struggling to retain an outburst, Link forced himself to remain calm as he replied, "Be careful, Colonel Bright. Princess Zelda was so kind as to bring a book about Trius with us, and I don't think it would help to grind a hole into the map page."

"I give you the closest route to the Glass Palace, and you don't want to take it?"

"Ganondorf will take that route. If we follow, we probably won't be able to cut him off, nor will we be able to reach that Palace before he does. And trust me, I don't think you want to let him go that far."

"Then what do you propose? Do you honestly want to take us across the plains?"

"We can meet them at the Glass Palace by doing so, Colonel Bright," answered Link firmly, "An army is usually slowed when they go through mountains."

"So why would Ganondorf take that route anyway?"

"Because they assume that we're around a day or two behind, but they underestimate how quick we actually are."

"And what if they're going through the plains?"

"They won't be. I know Ganondorf, and if there's one thing I understand about the man it's that he prefers to do things quickly...Very quickly."

"I'd listen to Link," suggested Lord Hur, "After all, he's fought Ganondorf a few times before."

"Quiet, you!" snapped Bright before turning back to Link, "The only way we'll catch up to Ganondorf at this point is if the wind helps us. And trust me, the wind will not be blowing any more, even if we pray to Farore."

Link had to admit the man had a point, and stood there in thought, staring at the map of Trius. Ganondorf must be close, and the Hyruleans were still rather far away. Furrowing his brow, Link considered the many options available to him, none of which seemed particularly favorable. Haughty and superior, the Colonel stood with his arms folded as Princess Zelda sat in a nearby chair, bored of the meeting.

That was when Link made his decision.

Before Colonel Bright could say anything, Link bounded out the door and climbed upon a crate that sat nearby. Cupping his hands and bringing them to his mouth, the Hero barked out orders.

"Throw off anything we can spare!"

The entire deck of soldiers stopped and stared at Link. Did the Hero of Hyrule really suggest that they should throw some of their supplies overboard? Had he gone funny in the head with Morus's death? That was very likely to have happened.

"We don't need wines, those are the first to go! We don't need some of the food, let that go! The gold we got from the Islands as prizes, that must go as well!"

"Link, what do you think you are doing?" howled Colonel Bright.

"Now! Don't just stand there! This needs to happen!" shrieked Link, waving his arms.

Unsure, but always willing to follow the Hero, a good number of the soldiers began to duck underneath the deck, descending the levels of the ship to the storage. Link slammed his hand onto the shoulder of a younger soldier and yanked him back.

"I often heard from Morus that you're quite loud, is that right?" Link inquired.

Uncomfortably, the soldier responded, "Yes?"

"Good! Pass the same message onto the other ships. Don't stand there staring at me, do it!"

Colonel Bright pulled Link from the crate once the boy ran off and gripped Link tightly, "What do you think you are doing?"

Behind him, Zelda was smiling, amused and inspired at the same time. It was nice having people give out orders that she would've preferred. Sadly for her, it was much too bad that the Council was in the way...

"Colonel," intruded Zelda, prying the Colonel's fingers from Link's arm, "Link's plan makes perfect sense to me. I'm wiling to take a bit of a risk if it means defeating Ganondorf."

"Princess, you don't know what -"

"What I'm talking about? Bah!" exclaimed Zelda, purposely imitating the melodramatic with a wave of her hand and a flick of her head, "Colonel, you need not be so patronizing. In fact, I do admit it's starting to unnerve and irritate me!"

"In case you're wondering," added Link, joining Zelda in her exaggerated mocking charade, "I think the same way."

"Your Majesty, please have some sense."

"Oh, but look where sense has got us! Stoneless! No pun intended, of course," replied Zelda.

"And our officers are gall-less in almost every single way!" continued Link.

As the theatrics continued, Colonel Bright's face began to redden as the two young Hylians teased and prodded him. Meanwhile, a chest full of gold was hauled overboard, with one of the soldiers yelling, "Here's to whatever lucky fellow finds this!" before releasing his hold on the chest. A giant splash sounded as the chest hit the water, splattering the dry sides of the ship. Colonel Bright straightened and stood, appalled, as he watched more chests being dumped into the sea.

"Ridiculous!" he exclaimed, enraged, "Princess Zelda, you know that the Council voted for me to be Head, and so as Head of the Council I beg you to stop this nonsense at once!"

"Colonel!" returned Zelda, "How many times do I need to remind you that I'm Princess?"

"Don't throw your authority around like that, Zelda! You know that the Council can overrule you if they wish!"

"Only in matters of war and justice, Colonel, please familiarize yourself with Hyrulean law. Section 7, clause 5, 'under no circumstances can the Council overrule the throne, or heir to the throne, except in matters of war and justice'. If you're going to be Head of the Council, please remember your country's own rules."

"But this is a matter of war!" cried the Colonel.

"Unless we were launching chests over the ship so they could land on top of enemy soldiers, this doesn't qualify," answered Zelda, "Therefore, if I want to support Link's order, I can and I do."

"Your father wouldn't approve," growled Colonel Bright.

However, whatever malice he felt soon evaporated and was replaced by a mild fear as Zelda grew cold. Her eyes had narrowed and her delicate facial features had tensed, giving her a stiffer, but more commanding appearance.

"Don't you use my father against me," Zelda commanded, letting every word sit heavily as she pronounced them, "If you really think that you can justify everything you don't want in my father's name, you're very wrong. I don't mean to sound high and mighty, but please learn to respect those above you, Colonel Bright. You have already exercised your right to overrule me in justice, and now the Red Regiment doesn't have a captain. Not to mention that based on what we know about Reiza, Morus was most likely innocent. If I could take back your verdict, I would. Keep that in mind."

The Colonel didn't utter a word and only stood there, glassy-eyed and humiliated before Zelda. When the Colonel then bowed his head, Zelda decided that it was time to leave and turned to Link.

"Come with me, I want to request something," she said.

Link nodded then, out of protocol, saluted Colonel Bright before striding off with the Princess. Zelda led him to the Royal Cabin, in front of which stood two guards that she motioned away with her hand. Unsure of what to do, the guards slowly inched away as they took the time to consider whether or not permitting the Princess to be alone with a man in the Royal Cabin was appropriate. But it was too late, and they could only watch as Zelda and Link disappeared and shut the door behind them.

"So this is yours now," mentioned Link, looking around the Cabin.

"They cleaned it for me and brought some new sheets for me. I have to say, though, sleeping where your father was killed isn't the easiest to do."

"I'm not surprised," said Link, noticing that all of Zelda's possessions had been moved into the Cabin, "But you do it?"

"No," Zelda responded quickly, "Not right now, at least."

"I understand," answered Link before proceeding, "So, you told me you wanted to request something?"

"Right! I had nearly forgot," said Zelda, chuckling to herself that she hadn't remembered why she had brought Link here, "I apologize. But, um, I knew that asking you would be much better than asking anyone else. I trust you, you see..."

"That's always good to know," interjected Link who tottered on his heels, wondering what the Princess was about to demand.

"Alright, well, yes that's very good. But you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone about this."

"I promise, Zelda."

"Thank you. Well, I guess I better just get to the point. Link, in perhaps less than a day or two we'll be at Trius and we'll have to intercept Ganondorf's army."

"You're pointing out the obvious; I want to know what you're so embarrassed to request."

"Yes, yes, I'm getting there, Link. And you know that Colonel Bright is trying to keep me under wraps, preventing me from doing what I want."

"I know that, too. Zelda, what are you -?"

"You see, Link, I think that the most noble thing I can do at the moment is to be with my troops as they engage in, probably, the greatest and most pressing battle ever fought."

Link laughed when he heard what Zelda said, generating a slightly offended look from the Princess.

"Why are you laughing at me?"

"Because I know what you're trying to say and it's just funny how you're so serious about it when you know that I'm going to help you!"

"How was I supposed to know?"

"Zelda, I thought you knew that I wouldn't try to stop you anymore. Didn't we talk about this a long time ago?"

"We might have, but I just wanted to make sure..."

"You don't have to worry, Zelda, I'll make sure Bright doesn't lock you up in the ship. Even if he did, I think you'd find a way out either way."

"So, you're not going to force me to stay here out of fear that I'll die?"

"You're old enough to know the risks, I don't think I need to reiterate anything to you."

"Oh, haha, well then," said Zelda, "I guess I will be part of saving Midna."

Midna. How had Link forgotten? There had been so much focus around the Stones that Link hadn't remembered that Midna was still captured. Ashamed, Link recalled that Ganondorf had declared Midna would help him at the Glass Palace, but in what way he still couldn't understand. That instant, the Hero also remembered how many mysteries there were still left that had to be solved. Midna's role at the Glass Palace was only one of them, and Lord Hur's connection with Reiza was another.

As if she could read his mind, Zelda's eyes widened and she brought a hand to her hand.

"Oh! I nearly forgot! For the last few months I've been delving through the books I managed to bring with me, and I think I've pieced some puzzles together. There are still some incomplete parts, but I think I'm very close!"

"And you waited to share them with me until now?" exclaimed Link, "Zelda!"

"I'm sorry!" returned the Princess, "Then come here and let me explain to you."

Link didn't hesitate. Had Zelda found something about the Glass Palace?

"I couldn't believe I didn't think of it earlier!" Zelda muttered urgently as she fumbled through her books, attempting to locate the one she wanted to show Link, who stood by and watched the Princess rummage and throw books aside.

"I wanted to share it with you earlier, but there was that ridiculous meeting with the Council that, at least, decided on something."

Listening passively, Link dragged his fingers over a few of the books that lay on Zelda's table. The Princess had brought a fairly complete collection of books related to magic for her research, and the dogeared pages alerted Link to the fact that when not in the public eye, Zelda had been diligently rifling through the contents of each book. Picking one at random, Link flipped open a book to find notes and scribbles inked into the margins of a few pages. The Hero attempted to read what Zelda had written, but found the Princess's writing incomprehensible.

"Oh yes! Feel free to read what I brought to my own attention," Zelda told him.

"I'm trying to, but you write like a man so reading is proving to be very difficult."

Normally, Zelda would deliver another jab back at him, but instead of doing so Zelda whipped around and shoved a second volume into Link's hand. Dropping the first book back onto the table, Link took a good look at what Zelda gave him.

"_The Children's Book of Fairy Tales_?" Link cocked an eyebrow to show how absurd he found the idea to be.

Zelda placed her hands on her hips, "Yes? Just turn to the page I marked and read the story."

Shooting Zelda one more incredulous glance, Link found the strip of hide Zelda had used to mark the specific chapter and turned the pages to that point. It wasn't long before Link raised his eyes from the book.

"I can't read it."

"What? I've seen you read."

"I can't read old Hylian, that's something only you out of the two of us can do."

"Oh!" exclaimed Zelda, "Right! Here, give me the book and I'll explain the story to you."

Link handed the collection of fairy tales to Zelda who unhesitatingly took it from the Hero.

"I remember when I was very little a chambermaid of mine would sit tell me stories before I fell asleep," Zelda recalled, "I read that same story last night to calm myself because, well, we all had a very depressing day and I just wanted to cheer up. So here I am, sitting where my father died on the verge of crying and I came upon this: _Daran and Broman_. Have you heard of it?"

"I didn't have anyone to tell me stories when I was little."

"I'm guessing that is a no. Either way, as I read through I noticed that there were a shocking number of similarities between the tale and what we're undergoing right now. Coincidence? Don't think that, especially after I go through the story."

"So somehow what we're trying to do is linked to the story?"

"Not what we, specifically, are doing. Elements of the tale as a whole struck me as freakishly accurate, and now I believe that _Daran and Broman_ is actually the story of the Glass Palace."

"Tell me the story, then."

"Alright, I'll try to summarize it. _Daran and Broman_ about two brothers who are named, obviously, Daran and Broman and who are as different as night and day. Daran's very brash and doesn't take the time to think before he undertakes a task, whereas Broman is very calculating, manipulative, and prefers to avoid brute force."

"Go on."

"The tale takes place on an island called Uralis, which is described as this beautiful island with the most exotic life forms anyone can ever imagine, and that's where the brother's live. When the story begins, Daran and Broman are vying for the attention of a certain girl named Samira who, unfortunately, doesn't know which one of the brothers to choose as she loves them both in her own way. Ridiculous, I know, but we'll ignore that aspect and move on. Anyhow, the two brothers, instead of dueling one another, challenge one another to find the most beautiful gift for Samira. The gift could be anything: a flower, a bird, a jewel, whatever the brothers wish to give her. With that in mind, they set out all over the island Uralis looking for the perfect gift.

'But then the story shifts to Broman, because Broman is the one who makes the interesting discovery. This is where you better listen. So Broman wanders in the woods until he reaches a gigantic structure of some kind that has been completely devoured by the nature around it. Broman eventually finds an entrance and he also sees that he has encountered some sort of palace, based on the design of the interior. He explores the palace, hoping to maybe find a gift for Samira before Daran can, and eventually makes his way to the very top.

'In a chamber in the tallest tower of the palace was a sort of golden altar, upon which lay seven glittering gems. They were the most beautiful gems Broman had ever seen, and without thinking he touched the altar. Suddenly, he fainted and awoke in a crystal room with the Goddesses of Hyrule standing above him. They warned Broman not to take the gems because they would bring evil to the world, but when they returned Broman to his world the latter didn't listen. One by one, the gems were pried from the altar and the earth trembled. Fearful, Broman watched the vines and branches disperse from the palace when suddently, the shaking stopped and Broman could see that he was in the middle of a palace made of the finest glass.'"

"The Glass Palace?"

"That's what I believe, Link. When he exited from the palace, Broman took one look at the palace, and then glanced at the gems. He decided that instead of presenting her with the gems, Broman would give Samira the palace of glass.

'Evidently, Daran couldn't defeat his brother's offer, and so Broman took Samira as his wife. A few years went by and all seemed to be fine until the eighth year of Broman's marriage to Samira. That year, Broman was on his way to the palace of glass when an elderly man appeared and presented himself to Broman. Taking the gems, the man showed Broman that if he wished, he could take one gem, look through it, think of one of the other gems, and see whatever scene the second gem saw. By that time, Broman was already a very shrewed businessman, and decided that by planting the gems in his competitors' surroundings, he could know exactly what they were coming up with and steal their ideas to make profit himself. Unethical? Certainly, but it was like this that Broman managed to amass a huge fortune.

'But as Broman grew more and more greedy, Samira distanced herself more and more from him. He wasn't the Broman Samira had fallen in love with, although whether she ever had is definitely debatable. However, she still had some feelings for Daran, who had spent the last few years as a teacher. Whereas Daran was adamant in respecting his brother despite his own sentiments for Samira, Samira wasn't so keen on being faithful to her husband and actively seduced Daran. As much as the latter tried to resist, he eventually fell into a trap and they began seeing one another.

'During one of the days when Daran was at the palace with Samira, Broman again met the old man who had stopped him previously. The same man told him a story about magic, and played upon Broman's greed and desire for power. He told Broman of a magic that, when activated, would make Broman unbeatable. All he had to do was plant the gems back into the altar and, upon the same altar, sacrifice the blood of an evil and an innocent. Each of the gems represented a different element. There was a gem for air, a gem for fire, for earth, for water, and so on. By sacrificing two people and returning the gems, Broman could rule over all the elements. Keeping this in mind, Broman excitedly continued his journey to the glass palace. But while he walked, he happened to look through the one gem he had and thought of the gem he had planted in Samira's chamber. Evidently, he saw Daran and, in rage, he ran back to the palace."

"So what you're saying is that this same magic is what Ganondorf needs to activate the magic of the Glass Palace."

"Yes, because the moment Broman returned and discovered the two, he ran back to the town and collected each and every one of his gems. While Samira and Daran waited with one another, Broman arrived at the palace for a second time during the day, and brought out the altar. He planted the gems into the slots, one by one, and took Samira. You see, Link, Samira was evil in Broman's eyes for actively seducing Daran, and so she was the first to be sacrificed. Broman then took Daran, who he had tied to a chair, and slit his throat as well, letting his blood run on the altar. Shortly after, Broman began to transform.

'But his transformation was halted halfway, and soon Broman fell back down to earth, all his power gone. Unable to achieve power and having murdered his wife and brother, Broman lived life alone, miserably wandering the forest until he died. The Goddesses, on their part, cast the gems to sea so that no one on Uralis could ever touch them again. That is how the tale ends.'"

"Zelda, why couldn't Broman complete the transformation?"

"That bothered me as well, so I initially thought that perhaps Broman had sacrificed two innocents. But after rummaging through this book, _The Triforce_, I think I may know why Broman couldn't transform."

Zelda thrust another book into Link's hands, and opened to a page where she pointed at a passage with her forefinger.

"Link, you need to be an immensely powerful figure to activate the magic in the Glass Palace. You need to be more powerful than Broman was."

Link knew what Zelda was suggesting.

"And Ganondorf is the bearer of the Triforce of Power."

"And Midna is the innocent."

"So who is the evil?"

Link's plan to throw whatever they could spare overboard was even more justified in his eyes now. Time was running out, but Ganondorf already had almost everything he required in place to unleash the power of the Glass Palace.


	35. The Race and Lord Hur Near Death

"Hey boy!" hollered a captain once he saw Link emerge from the Princess's cabin, "You're commanding the Red Regiment now!"

Well, this was rather shocking considering how Colonel Bright had fought for leadership of the Red Regiment. Slightly surprised but delighted, Link steadily made his way towards the captain.

"Didn't Colonel Bright want the Regiment?" he asked.

"You're right about that, but he changed his mind," explained the captain, examining his shield, "But then we reminded him what the Red Regiment's for."

What kind of Colonel didn't like the first charge? Link almost scoffed at the notion that the Colonel was terrified of the front lines. Then again, most were afraid of the Red Regiment because the latter served a certain function in battles. Whereas the Gold Regiment was made of the sturdiest men who guarded the very back lines, the Red Regiment was at the very front. Orange, Yellow, Blue, Indigo, Green...All were behind the Red Regiment. Back at Hyrule, every citizen knew that to be in the Red Regiment was to practically give away one's life so every time a boy joined the training camps, his parents prayed that he wouldn't be put in the Red Regiment.

"Just serve your country well, son," every father would say to their boy if life in the army was what they wanted, "Do the bare minimum."

Ironically, the more a father stressed to his son to "do the bare minimum", the more likely he was to be placed in the Dreaded Regiment, as the locals called it. Placed in a competitive environment, the boys always competed with one another to be the best, as was the natural behaviour of young boys. But little did they know that colonels, admirals, and generals scrutinized every actions the boys made more carefully than the youth suspected. While the boys dreamed of glory, they were unaware that the more bravery and skill they displayed, the higher the chance that they would find themselves in the Red Regiment. Only the most courageous and most skilled boys fought in the Red Regiment, because the notion of being the first to be sacrificed demanded unwavering nerves and the adequate techniques to defend themselves.

"You're the right size to lead the Red anyhow, Hero," continued the captain, "Slim but limber. Had we put the Colonel in there he wouldn't be able to keep up. You up for the first charge?"

"Always," responded Link.

The captain nodded, "That's always good to hear. You should've seen the argument we had trying to figure everything out a few minutes ago. Colonel Bright basically announced that he wanted to give up the Red Regiment and he was trying to force it down people's throats. No one would take it, obviously, so we needed someone crazy enough to take the job."

"Thank you for suggesting that I'm insane."

The captain shrugged, "Someone had to do it. There's a fine line in between bravery and insanity, and we figured yours was blurred to the point where we really couldn't tell which category you fit into."

"That's...very good to know."

"You weren't as crazy as the past captain, though, I'll tell you that. Then again, I'll really miss Morus; it's a shame he had to end that way."

"Mhm."

"You know," said the captain turning to Link, "I grew up with him. In fact, I was the first person he was told to duel with. Blew me right onto my back, and that was the day they decided he was in the Red Regiment. I was more jealous than you can ever imagine. But I was young, and I didn't know the implications of being in the Red Regiment. When I found out, I couldn't believe I had spent years dreaming about it."

"It's a harsh regiment to be in."

"Well, it's your regiment now," reiterated the captain, "Just watch out, alright? We can't afford to lose you."

"Trius! Trius!" hollered the solder from the crow's nest.

Thrusting the captain aside, Link weaved his way through the crowd to where a rope ladder reached the ground. Everyone had heard the cries from the soldier in the crow's nest, and they had been fighting to see who would go up and look when Link appeared. Seeing the Hero, the soldiers pulled away and allowed Link to climb the ladder. Rung by rung, Link climbed as the soldiers below him held the bottom of the ladder in place so that the wind wouldn't cause it to sway. Gradually, the temperature dropped the higher Link went until the cold bit into his skin. Another summer had passed, and now autumn was here.

A soldier named Braveris was perched in the crow's nest and offered Link a hand once the Hero reached his destination. Braveris, being the respectable man that he was, moved aside and pointed into the distance.

"Look!" he urged Link, "We'll be there in a few hours."

Link followed Braveris's finger and saw a lush piece of land with mountains to the West and plains to the South. It was just as the Hyruleans' map had indicated. Slowly, the island of Trius drew closer to the fleet, the faint outlines of its trees and rocks becoming clearer by the second. Braveris stood back as Link watched the island, calmly commenting on the landmass.

"It's not as I imagined, you know," Braveris was saying, "I believed that if Trius was the place where Ganondorf wanted something done, it would be barren just as most evil places are. But this, this is different. Trius looks beautiful, actually."

"Surprising, isn't it?" replied Link, sill staring at the island.

"Now, look to the west of the island," said Braveris.

Link's eyes flitted to where Braveris had told them to. He had to squint to be sure that what he saw was true, but soon Link could make out the black sails of Ganondorf's ships, coasting towards the mountains.

"Why they'd even want to go through the mountains, I don't understand," continued Braveris, "They were better off going through the plains."

"The mountains, geographically, provide the shortest route to the Glass Palace," explained Link.

"So why are we taking the long route?"

"We have to try and intercept them, not follow them. Besides, Hyruleans generally aren't even familiar with traveling through mountains except for the Gorons, so I wouldn't risk trying to bring our armies through there. We're plains people, really."

"Well, as long as you can guarantee that we'll shoot across the plains and reach them on time, I don't really have any objections."

"We will. Our army moves quicker than Ganondorf's, which is probably why he's risking the mountains as well; he knows we're not familiar with them."

A giant whooshing sound caused Link to turn to his side, where Marius now flew.

"My angels and I are going to spy on Ganondorf's army. We'll return with news."

"Please be careful," advised Link, "And return quickly."

"Don't worry about me, Hero," returned Marius, "I'll leave now, but before I do I want you to look way into the distance at the center of the island. I can see the Glass Palace from here."

Raising his arm, Marius signaled the other angels to follow his lead. From the ships of the Hyrulean fleet, angels emerged and batted their wings, soaring into the air. As the angels sped past him, Link could barely catch the silhouette of the Glass Palace. If it weren't for the slight reflection the twilight made off of it, Link would have completely overlooked it.

Inside, Link's heart began to pound, much like Ganondorf's own heart as his ships reached the coast.

* * *

Time was of the essence now. Ganondorf hadn't left any time for his army to celebrate before ordering them to disembark. Now, the Gerudo's troops were clustered in dark masses of armour and flesh along Trius's shores. Night was moments from covering the world with her veil, rendering Ganondorf's army almost imperceptible. One by one the soldiers arranged themselves into perfect formation, prepared for the trek through the mountains. Proud of his troops, Ganondorf was moments away from addressing them when Reiza tugged upon his armour and pointed to the sea.

"Look there," she smirked, "The Hyruleans."

"What!" exclaimed Ganondorf, squinting to see, "They were at least a day behind!"

But Reiza hadn't been lying. Even through the darkness Ganondorf could spot the outline of a fleet of ships, their sails flapping in the wind. The Hyruleans were traveling in another direction, but they were still catching up to Ganondorf and it alarmed him to know that the Hero was only a few hours away.

"We certainly didn't count on this," muttered Reiza angrily.

"Tell the troops to move now," ordered Ganondorf, "We can't afford to wait anymore."

"What about the soldiers still in the ships?" inquired Reiza, "They're still out of formation."

"We can't wait," repeated Ganondorf, "I don't care if the Hyruleans aren't anchoring here, I want to get through the mountains as quickly as possible. So go, tell the captains to hurry."

Obediently, Reiza turned and began to walk away from Ganondorf. But a few moments later she stopped and faced him once more, her face stern and riddled with anxiety.

"There's a chance they'll move faster than we can, isn't there?" she asked Ganondorf, "You have a feeling that we won't be able to outrun them."

"Reiza," growled Ganondorf without looking at her, "Go."

Reiza flipped her hair and shot Ganondorf a concerned glance before she cupped her hands and brought them to her lips.

"We're on the move!" she yelled for all to hear, "Ganondorf wants us to go through the mountains now!"

"Through the mountains!"

"Come on, boys! For Ganondorf!"

"I don't want any lagging; follow me!"

The gruff voices of Ganondorf's captains reached his ears as well as the scuffling of feet through sand. So loud were the footfalls of Ganondorf's army that no one heard the sound of wings that beat nearby. Almost completely hidden from sight, Marius watched Ganondorf's every move as his army made their way to a nearby forest. With a flick of his hand, Marius drew his angels near and whispered to them.

"The real battle begins here," declared the King of Angels, "Disappear among the trees, blend in with the rocks, do anything in your power to keep Ganondorf's army in check. But whatever you do, please don't make a spectacle of the whole thing. If you need to attack, strike only the stragglers or those who wander off. And please keep silent, communicate with hands."

"Will you go with us?" inquired one of the angels.

"Always," replied Marius, "Always."

Oh no, oh no, what did he just do? And now, what was he doing?

* * *

Lord Hur crouched in the dark, silently rifling through Morus's bag. The Hero had taken it to his own makeshift quarters, but Lord Hur had managed to find it. While every other soldier slept, Lord Hur was looking for one thing in particular that would help him. The fact that Lord Hur was now at the second step of his plan was amazing to the young noble, as he had always thought himself cowardly. What had the first step been? Stealing that book. How did he even manage to do it? Lord Hur remembered: he had waited for Zelda and the guards to leave the cabin and had managed to slink in, unperceived. He had dug through the Princess's chest of books until he found _The Art of Dark Magic_.

What proved to be most ironic was why Lord Hur had stolen the book and why he was now stealing something of Morus's. Guilt. Guilt that he was not helping the Hyruleans in any way. Guilt that he had allowed so many horrible events to unfold. In essence, Lord Hur was trying to redeem himself by stealing whatever he needed to fulfill what he had in mind.

He had to know where Reiza was, and what she was seeing at this very moment.

"An object the target has touched," the book had told him. That's why the spell had worked in the first place, but now Lord Hur needed a stronger version of the spell. The book had told him everything. It had told him how he was connected to Reiza because of the spell. Why Reiza had left such a spell, Lord Hur couldn't understand. Either way, that was not important because Lord Hur needed to see her life as the present dictated, not the past.

Now, which doublet was Morus wearing the night he had slept with Reiza?

Blue, no, red. Red? No, green? Lord Hur had one chance because the arsenic would cause him to hallucinate to the point where he wouldn't be able to retrace his steps, just as he was retracing that fateful night at Fortune. He should have paid more attention to the captain; everything would be easier had he done so!

Wait! Lord Hur remembered! Blue!

The noble unsheathed a small knife he had brought with him, and proceeded to cut out a minuscule piece of fabric. It had to be small enough for him to swallow, just as his father's sheets had been easy to swallow the first time Lord Hur had been introduced to the spell in the vial. Ripping easily through the fabric, the knife presented Lord Hur with what he needed. He could leave Morus's belongings alone now, and he could make his way down to the cellar.

"Good night."

Lord Hur straightened. That was the Hero's voice. Oh no, oh no, what was he to do now?

Shoving the fabric in between the pages of the book, Lord Hur retracted his knife and stood. He could hear Link weaving through the makeshift barracks towards his own curtained area of the ship. Lord Hur needed to move as quickly as possible, but how?

Without thinking, Lord Hur ducked through the side curtain and bolted.

He saw Link stop in his tracks. The Hero had seen Lord Hur move, but he was uncertain as to who it really was. Slowly, Link crept towards his sleeping quarters while Lord Hur did the same, but away to the side. He could not afford to be clumsy and fall. Sidestepping all the way, Lord Hur barely breathed as he drew nearer to the trap door every moment. Should he run now? No, the Hero would catch him.

Link had disappeared into his quarters. Quick! Quick! Lord Hur stole away, his feet lightly gracing the steps as he ran through the trap door and towards his own cabin next to Princess Zelda's. Had the Hero seen him? Was he being pursued?

Slamming the door behind him, Lord Hur panted and wiped the sweat away from his brow. He would wait a minute or two, just to be sure the Hero hadn't caught him.

One minute. Two minutes. Three...

He was safe.

Placing the book upon the desk, Lord Hur opened a nearby drawer and pulled out a balled piece of cloth and a green vial, the latter of which was used in his father's murder. Nervously, Lord Hur set both upon the desk and unwrapped the cloth, revealing a suspicious mound of white powder.

The more hallucinatory elements you mixed with the water, the more you will see.

But how much arsenic could Lord Hur take? What were his limits? For years he had sought the help of arsenic for amusement, however Lord Hur was now consuming it for a serious purpose. How much had Reiza put in the first time? Judging by the very slight numbing of his body at the time, Lord Hur reasoned that she hadn't mixed very much. Then again, swallowing arsenic instead of breathing it in always dulled the effects...

Lord Hur was vastly ashamed at how much he knew about the subject. This would be the last time he involved himself in such activity.

Pushing his thumb and forefinger together, Lord Hur extracted fifteen pinches of arsenic and dropped each into the green vial. He then took the fabric from the book, rolled it, and shoved it inside with the arsenic. Water was the last he needed, so taking his own drinking gourd Lord Hur filled the vial.

He stood there for a moment, his hands by his sides. There was a chance that he would die, but Lord Hur wanted to aid Hyrule as much as he could. If not for Hyrule, for his father.

He would remain calm this time and watch every scene that unfolded.

His hands shook as he brought the vial to his lips. The sound of shattered glass followed as Lord Hur consumed the mixture and allowed the vial to drop to the floor.

How much time did he have to wait?

Five minutes was all that was needed, and soon Lord Hur found himself arching over his desk. Everything was beginning to blur, and Lord Hur felt his body go numb and heavy yet his heart was beating faster and faster. The noble wanted to turn back, but it was too late to revoke the spell. Fifteen pinches, had he really just done that? How stupid had he been his entire life?

He felt himself stagger back. Reaching behind him, Lord Hur managed to find a wall and slid down its face until he was sitting, legs outstretched in front of him. The blood rushed too quickly, and the room was morphing before his very eyes. Forcing his eyes to remain open, Lord Hur watched as his cabin gradually disappeared and, in place of the bed, was the cadaver of a man with gouged eyes.

In a flash, the man was now suspended from midair. But no, it wasn't the first man, it was someone completely different. Lord Hur had seen these events before, but now he was witnessing them in frighteningly clear detail. As one dead man gave way to the next, Lord Hur's heart sunk and his head continued to throb as Reiza's past whipped before his sight. A drowned man, a man with his throat slit, his poor father upon the bed, Lord Hur saw everything for a second time until suddenly, the scene changed to a part of Reiza's life he had never observed before. The clock tower of Clock Town rose up into the air, its sinister shadow sheltering a beautiful woman with the whitest skin.

Yes! Yes! This was what Lord Hur was looking for!

Stumbling about, Lord Hur followed Reiza from a distance as the woman made her way back to the brothel where she worked. Lord Hur wanted to scream, to shout, to cry out, "I found you!" yet he couldn't. Around him, everything grew darker and blurred except for Reiza's figure as she sauntered through the streets of Termina. Holding on to whatever he could to continue, Lord Hur stalked Reiza into the brothel and past every other whore in the place to her room, where she awaited clients.

Everything was moving much too fast.

"A man is here to see you," and soon Ganondorf was standing before her. Lord Hur had never seen Ganondorf before, but now he saw the dark eyes and felt the horrible presence of the Gerudo. Evil emanated from him so thickly that Lord Hur felt suffocated.

Another scene change, and soon he was leaving Termina on a black ship bound for the ocean. It was getting harder to keep his balance now, but Lord Hur fought on as the sea became fire and the ship transformed into land.

He was on one of the Islands, and that was when he saw Reiza during wartime.

Burned men, tortured men, men and women and children cut into pieces, Lord Hur couldn't stand it. His heart was beating much too fast now and what he saw did not help. The Stones, the weeping victims of war, he saw more evil than he had ever imagined. How had he thought he was on a glorious adventure?

One by one, the Islands flew past and the bodies grew increasingly disturbing and twisted to look at. Death made itself known to Lord Hur so many times that the noble thought it his best friend. Tears dribbled down his cheeks as Lord Hur shuddered so violently he felt as though his limbs would fall off and he would be as bare as the bodies Ganondorf's troops had impaled onto trees. The remains of a man were slumped onto a nearby branch, and without thinking Lord Hur reached out to touch them until he realized that what he touched was breathing. He was somewhere else again.

He was in the King's cabin, and the King was sleeping.

Staggering about, Lord Hur turned to see Morus, his eyes unnaturally cold, sword raised.

"No, no Morus don't!" cried Lord Hur, trying to grasp Morus's hand, "You can't do that! You'll die!"

Lord Hur lost balance and fell heavily onto his side, causing him to cry out. Morus simply stepped over him and continued solemnly on. Crawling, Lord Hur was yelling but it was all too late as the blade when down into the King's body, which only transformed into Morus's headless corpse the moment the sword fell. Lord Hur was lying in Morus's blood, his head to the sky as he convulsed and watched the day turn to night and night to day as all of the sudden he felt himself moving and sat up.

He was next to Ganondorf, and they were in a mountainous area.

If Lord Hur could, he would've jumped with joy because he had found what he wanted to see. Reiza was on Ganondorf's other side with a map stretched out upon her lap. Bringing in his focus, Lord Hur used the last of his energy to watch as Reiza's fingertips stroke the paper, indicating Ganondorf's battle formations.

Make a note of this, Lord Hur forced himself. Stalfos in the front, they would separate the moment they emerged from the mountains. The Hyruleans were approaching from the plains, and they would be pursued by one of the breakaway sections until the other half met them at the Glass Palace. They would be caught completely unaware and would be too exhausted to fight. Surrounded, they would die one by one, Link included and Ganondorf would have everything he needed.

That was it, simple as that. A pool of red had been creeping in from the brinks of Lord Hur's eyes the entire time, and now Lord Hur let go.

He fell down into a bottomless pit, his heart beating faster and faster. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't swallow and he could not longer control himself or feel anything until he felt something on his torso and a pair of hands on his wrists. Someone else was holding his ankles as he thrashed about, uncontrollable and the arsenic unrelenting as the red disappeared and his cabin took shape, along with Link.

"Lord Hur!" he was screaming, "Look at me, keep looking at me!"

"Why did he have to do that?" Princess Zelda was hollering, "Is he going to die? Is he going to die?"

Lord Hur tried to speak but his tongue fluttered too violently to form words. His cheeks were wet as tears had mixed with saliva from his mouth.

"Turn him over! Turn him over!" the Hero screeched.

"No!" Lord Hur wanted to shriek.

Princess Zelda had the book in her hands, and her look told Lord Hur she knew exactly what he was trying to do.

"You! Take his arms and I'll deal with this!"

The guard nearly dropped Lord Hur as Link wrapped his arms around Lord Hur's belly. The noble felt his eyes roll back in his head as the arsenic became too much. Then thick liquid fell out of his mouth, and Lord Hur began to calm.

"Has he vomited it all out?" asked the guard.

"We can only hope so. What was he doing?" mumbled Link.

Zelda presented him with the book and pointed to a certain passage. Lord Hur's tongue had stopped fluttering.

"I saw...I saw..." he said, "I saw everything. We'll be ambushed, we need to prepare...Plains...Ambushed..."

Lord Hur wheezed and grew limp, with Link and Zelda watching in shock. To their surprise, Lord Hur smiled: he had survived everything, and he could tell them all that they needed to know.


End file.
